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ANNA    GREEN    WINSLOW 


DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN 
WINSLOW 


A  BOSTON  SCHOOL   GIRL   OF  Iff! 

EDITED   BY 

ALICE   MORSE   EARLE 


BOSTON   AND    NEW   YORK 
HOUGHTON,  MIFFLIN   AND   COMPANY 

oartie  Cttoerjst&e  $re£&  CamfcriDge 

1894 


F 
73,4 

.W73 


Coypyright,  1894, 
By  ALICE  MORSE  EARLE. 

All  rights  reserved. 


The  Riverside  Press,  Cambridge,  Mass.,  U.  S.A. 
Electrotyped  and  Printed  by  H.  O.  Houghton  &  Co. 


O'NaL  LIBRARY 

J 


BOSTON  C0LLE3I  m,sm 


IS  DEDICATED 

TO 

THE  KINSFOLK  OF 

ANNA    GREEN  WINS  LOW 


FOREWORD. 

TN  the  year  1770,  a  bright  little  girl  ten 
years  of  age,  Anna  Green  Wins  low,  was 
sent  from  her  far  away  home  in  Nova  Scotia 
to  Boston,  the  birthplace  of  her  paretits,  to 
be  "finished"  at  Boston  schools  by  Boston 
teachers.  She  wrote,  with  evident  eagerness 
and  loving  care,  for  the  edification  of  her  par- 
ents and  her  own  practice  in  penmanship,  this 
interesting  and  quaint  diary,  which  forms 
a  most  sprightly  record,  not  only  of  the  life 
of  a  young  girl  at  that  time,  but  of  the  prim 
and  narrow  round  of  daily  occurrences  in  pro- 
vincial Boston.  It  thus  assumes  a  positive 
value  as  an  historical picttcre  of  the  domestic 
life  of  that  day  ;  a  value  of  which  the  little 
girl  who  wrote  it,  or  her  kinsfolk  who  affec- 
tionately preserved  it  to  our  own  day,  never 
coidd  have  dreamed.  To  many  New  Eng- 
land families  it  is  specially  interesting  as  a 
complete  rendering,  a  perfect  presentment,  of 
the  childish  life  of  their  great  grandmothers, 
her  companions. 

It  is  an  even  chance  which  ruling  thought 

in 


IV  FORE  WORD. 

in  the  clever  little  writer,  a  love  of  religion 
or  a  love  of  dress,  shows  most  plainly  its  in- 
fluence on  this  diary.  On  the  whole,  I  think 
that  youthful  vanity,  albeit  of  a  very  natural 
and  innocent  sort,  is  more  pervasive  of  the 
pages.  And  it  is  fortunate  that  this  is  the 
case ;  for,  from  the  frankly  frivolous  though 
far  from  self-conscious  entries  we  gain  a  very 
exact  notion,  a  very  valuable  picture,  of  the 
dress  of  a  young  girl  at  that  day.  We  know 
all  the  details  of  her  toilet,  from  the  "pompe- 
dore  "  shoes  and  the  shifts  {which  she  had 
never  worn  till  she  lived  in  Boston),  to  the 
absurd  and  top-heavy  head-decoration  of 
"  black  feathers,  my  past  comb  &  all  my 
past  garnet  marquasett  and  jet  pins,  together 
with  my  silver  plume.  "  If  this  fantastic  as- 
semblage of  ornament  were  set  upon  the  "H r ed- 
dies roll,"  so  grapliically  described,  it  is  easy 
to  understa7id  the  denunciations  of  the  time 
upon  women  s  headgear.  In  no  contempo- 
rajy  record  or  account,  no  matter  who  the 
writer,  can  be  found  such  a  vivacious  and  witty 
description  of  the  modish  hairdressing  of  that 
day  as  in  the  pages  of  this  diary. 

But  there  are  many  entries  in  the  journal 
of  this  vain  little  Puritan  devotee  to  show  an 
almost  equal  atte7ition  to  religion  ;  records  of 
sermons  which  she  had  heard,   and  of  reli- 
gious 


FORE  WORD.  v 

gzous  conversations  in  which  she  had  taken  a 
self-possessed  part ;  and  her  frequent  use  of 
Biblical  expressions  and  comparisons  shows 
that  she  also  remembered  fully  what  she 
read.  Her  ambitious  theological  sermon-notes 
were  evidently  somewhat  curtailed  by  the  sensi- 
ble advice  of  the  aunt  with  whom  she  resided, 
who  thereby  checked  also  the  consequent  inju- 
dicious praise  of  her  pastor,  the  Old  South 
minister.  For  Anna  and  her  kinsfolk  were 
of  the  congregation  of  the  Old  South  church  ; 
and  this  diary  is  in  effect  a  record  of  the  life 
of  Old  South  church  attendants.  Many  were 
what  Anna  terms  "sisters  of  the  Old  South" 
and  nine  tenths  of  the  names  of  her  compan- 
ions and  friends  may  be  found  on  the  baptis- 
mal and  membership  records  of  that  church. 

Anna  was  an  industrious  little  wight,  active 
in  all  housewifely  labors  and  domestic  accom- 
plishments, and  attentive  to  her  lessons.  She 
could  make  "pyes,"  and  fine  network ;  she 
could  knit  lace,  and  spin  linen  thread  and 
woolen  yarn  ;  she  could  make  purses,  and  em- 
broider pocket-books,  and  weave  watch  strings, 
and  piece  patchwork.  She  learned"  dansing, 
or  danceing  I  should  say,"  from  one  Master 
Turner ;  she  attended  a  sewing  school,  to  be- 
come a  neat  and  deft  little  sempstress,  and 
above   all,  she  attended  a  writing  school  to 

learn 


VI  FOREWORD. 

learn  that  most  indispensable  and  most  appre- 
ciated of  eighteenth  century  accomplishments 
— fine  writing.  Her  handwriting,  of  which 
a  facsimile  is  here  shown,  was  far  better 
than  that  of  most  girls  of  twelve  to-day  ;  with 
truth  and  justice  could  Anna  say ,  "  Aunt  says 
lean  write  pretily."  Her  orthography  was 
quite  equal  to  that  of  grown  persons  of  her 
time,  and  her  English  as  good  as  that  of 
Mercy  Warren,  her  older  contemporary  writer. 

And  let  me  speak  also  of  the  condition  of 
her  diary.  It  covers  seventy-two  pages  of 
paper  about  eight  inches  long  by  six  and  a 
half  inches  wide.  The  writing  is  uniform  in 
size,  every  letter  is  perfectly  formed ;  it  is  as 
legible  as  print,  and  in  the  entire  diary  but 
three  blots  can  be  seen,  and  these  are  very 
small.  A  few  pages  were  ruled  by  the  writer, 
the  others  are  unruled.  The  old  paper,  though 
heavy  and  good,  is  yellow  with  age,  and  the 
water  marks  C.  J.  R.  and  the  crown  stand 
out  distinctly.  The  sheets  are  sewed  in  a 
little  book,  on  which  a  marbled  paper  cover 
has  been  placed,  probably  by  a  later  hand  than 
Anna's.  Altogether  it  is  a  remarkably  ci'ed- 
itable  production  for  a  girl  of  twelve. 

It  is  well  also  to  compare  her  constant 
diligence  and  industry  displayed  to  us  through 
her  records  of  a  days  work  —  and  at  another 

time, 


FOREWORD.  VU 

time,  of  a  week's  work — with  that  of  any 
girl  of  her  age  in  a  corresponding  station  of 
life  nowadays.  We  learn  that  physical  pain 
or  disability  were  no  excuse  for  slothfulness  ; 
Anna  was  not  always  well  —  had  heavy  colds, 
and  was  feverish  ;  but  well  or  ill  was  ahvays 
employed.  Even  with  painful  local  afflictio?is 
such  as  a  "whitloe"  she  still  was  industrious, 
"improving  it  to  perfect  myself  in  learning  to 
spin  flax!''  She  read  much  —  the  Bible  con- 
stantly —  and  also  found  amusement  in  read- 
ing "a  variety  of  composures." 

She  was  a  friendly  little  soul,  eager  to  be 
loved ;  resenting  deeply  that  her  Aunt  Storer 
let  "  either  one  of  her  chaises,  her  chariot  or 
babyhutt,"  pass  the  door  every  day,  without 
sending  for  her ;  going  cheerfully  tea-dri7iking 
from  house  to  house  of  her  friends  ;  delight- 
ing even  in  the  catechising  and  the  sober  Thurs- 
day Lecture.  She  had  few  amusements  and 
holidays  compared  with  the  manifold  pleas- 
ures that  children  have  nozvadays,  though  she 
had  one  holiday  which  the  Revolution  struck 
from  our  calendar —  the  King's  Coronation 
Day.  She  saw  the  Artillery  Company  drill, 
and  she  visited  brides  and  babies  and  old 
folks,  and  attended  some  funerals.  When 
she  was  twelve  years  old  she  "came  out"  — 
became  a  "  miss  in  her  teens  "  —  and  went  to  a 

succession 


Vlll  FOREWORD. 

succession  of  prim  little  routs  or  parties, 
which  she  called  "constitutions."  To  these 
decorous  assemblies  girls  only  were  invited, 
—  no  rough  Boston  boys.  She  has  left  to  us 
more  than  one  clear,  perfect  picture  of  these 
formal  little  routs  in  the  great  low-raftered 
chamber,  softly  alight  with  candles  on  mantel- 
tree  and  in  sconces ;  with  Lucinda,  the  black 
maid,  "  shrilly  piping  ;  "  and  rows  of  demure 
little  girls  of  Boston  Brahmin  blood,  in  high 
rolls  and  feathers,  discreetly  partaking  of  hot 
and  cold  punch,  and  soberly  walking  and  curtsy- 
ing through  the  minuet ;  fantastic  in  costume, 
but  proper  and  seemly  in  demeanor,  models  of 
correct  deportment  as  were  their  elegant  mam- 
mas. 

But  Anna  was  not  solemn  ;  she  was  always 
happy,  and  often  merry  — full  of  life  and 
wit.  She  jested  about  getting  a  "fresh  sea- 
soning with  Globe  salt,  "  and  wrote  some 
labored  jokes  and  some  unconscious  ones  home 
to  her  mother.  She  was  subject  to  "  egregious 
fits  of  laughterre,"  and  fully  proved  the  state- 
ment, "  Aunt  says  I  am  a  whimsical  child" 
She  was  not  beautiful.  Her  miniature  is 
now  owned  by  Miss  Elizabeth  C.  Trott  of 
Niagara  Falls,  the  great  grand-daughter  of 
General  John  Winslow,  and  a  copy  is  shown 
in  the  frontispiece.  It  displays  a  gentle,  win- 
ning 


FORE  WORD.  ix 

ning  little  face,  delicate  in  otttline,  as  is  also 
the  figure,  and  showing  some  hint  also  of  de- 
licacy of  constitution.  It  may  be  imagination 
to  think  that  it  is  plainly  the  face  of  one  who 
could  never  live  to  be  old —  a  face  typical  of 
youth. 


T  ET  us  glance  at  the  stock  from  whence 
-*— '  sprung  this  tender  and  engaging  little 
blossom.  When  the  weary  Pilgrims  landed 
at  Cape  Cod  before  they  made  their  memorable 
landing  at  Plymouth,  a  sprightly  young  girl 
jumped  on  shore,  and  was  the  first  English 
woman  to  set  foot  on  the  soil  of  New  England. 
Her  name  was  Mary  Chilton.  She  married 
John  Winslow,  the  brother  of  Governor  Ed- 
ward Wins  low.  Anna  Green  Winslow  was 
Mary  Chilton  s  direct  descendant  in  the  sixth 
generation. 

Annas  grandfather,  John  Winslow  the 
fourth,  was  bom  in  Boston.  His  son  Joshua 
wrote  thus  in  the  Winslow  Family  Bible: 
"  Jno  Winslow  my  Honor  d  Father  was  born 
ye  JI  Dec.  at  6  o'c.  in  the  morning  on  the 
Lords  Day,  l6gj,  and  was  baptized  by  Mr. 

Willard  the  next  day  &  dyed  att  sea  Octo.  I  J, 
1731  aged  38  years  "     A  curious  attitude  was 
assumed  by  certain  Piirita7i  ministers,  of  re- 
luctance 


X  FORE  WORD. 

luctance  and  even  decided  objection  and  re- 
fusal to  baptize  children  who  were  unlucky 
enoitgh  to  be  bom  on  the  Lord's  Day ;  but 
Samuel  Willard,  the  pastor  of  the  "  South 
Church"  evidently  did  not  concur  in  that  ex- 
traordinary notion,  for  on  the  day  follozving 
"Jno's  "  birth  —  on  New  Year's  Day  —  he  was 
baptized.  He  was  married  on  September  21, 
1 7 21,  to  Sarah  Pierce,  and  in  their  ten  years 
of  married  life  they  had  three  children. 

Joshtca  Wins  low,  Annas  father,  was  the 
second  child.  He  was  born  January  2J,  IJ2J, 
and  was  baptized  at  the  Old  South.  He  was 
"pziblished"  with  his  cousin  Anna  Green  on 
December  f,  I/S^>  and  married  to  her  four 
weeks  later,  January  J,  I J 5$.  An  old  piece 
of  embroidered  tapestry  herein  shown  gives  a 
good  portrayal  of  a  Boston  wedding-party  at 
that  date  ;  the  costumes,  coach,  and  cut  of  the 
horses'  mane  and  tail  are  very  curious  and 
interesting  to  note.  Mrs.  Winslows  mother 
was  Anna  Pierce  {sister  of  Sarah),  and  her 
father  was  Joseph  Green,  the  fourth  genera- 
tion from  Per  civ  al  Green,  whose  descendants 
have  been  enumerated  by  Dr.  Samuel  Abbott 
Green,  the  president  of  the  Massachusetts  His- 
torical Society,  in  his  book  entitled  "  Account 
of  Pe?rcival  and  Ellen  Green  and  some  of  their 
descendants." 

Mrs. 


FORE  WORD.  XI 


Mrs.  Joshua  Winslow  was  the  oldest  of 
twelve  Green  children,  hence  the  vast  array  of 
itncles  and  aunts  and  cousins  in  little  Anna  s 


Joseph  Green,  Annas  maternal  grandfather, 
was  born  December  12 ,  IJOJ,  and  was  bap- 
tized on  the  same  day.  He  died  July  II, 
1765.  He  was  a  wealthy  man  for  his  time,  be- 
ing able  to  pay  Governor  Belcher  £  J,6oo  for 
a  tract  of  land  on  Hanover  Street.  His  firm 
name  was  Green  &  Walker.  A  fine  portrait 
of  him  by  Copley  still  exists. 

Thus  Anna  came  of  good  stock  in  all  lines 
of  descent.  The  Pierces  were  of  the  New 
Hampshire  provincial  geittry,  to  which  the 
Wentworths  and  Langdons  also  belonged. 

Before  Joshua  Winslow  was  married,  when 
he  was  but  eighteen  years  of  age,  he  began  his 
soldierly  career.  He  was  a  Lieutenant  in 
Captain  Light's  company  in  the  regiment  of 
Colonel  Moore  at  the  taking  of  Louisburg  in 
1745.  He  was  then  appointed  Commissary- 
General  of  the  British  forces  in  Nova  Scotia, 
and  an  account-book  of  his  daily  movements 
there  still  exists.  Upon  his  return  to  New 
England  he  went'  to  live  at  Mars'hfield,  Mas- 
sachusetts, in  the  house  afterwards  occupied 
by  Daniel  Webster.  But  troublous  times  were 
now  approaching  for  the  faithful  servants  of 

the 


Xll  FOREWORD. 

the  King.  Strange  notions  of  liberty  filled 
the  heads  of  many  Massachusetts  men  and 
women;  and  soon  the  Revolution  became  more 
than  a  dream.  Joshua  Wins  low  in  that  cri- 
sis, with  many  of  his  Mars  hfie  Id  friends  and 
neighbors,  sided  with  his  King. 

He  was  in  Marshfield  certainly  in  June, 
1775,  for  I  have  a  letter  before  me  written 
to  him  there  by  Mrs.  Deming  at  that  date. 
One  clause  of  this  letter  is  so  amusing  that  I 
cannot  resist  quoting  it.  We  must  remember 
that  it  was  written  in  Connecticut,  whence 
Mrs.  Deming  had  fled  in  fright  a7id  dismay 
at  the  siege  of  Boston  ;  and  that  she  had  lost 
her  home  and  all  her  possessions.  She  writes 
in  answer  to  her  brother  s  urgent  invitation  to 
return  to  Marshfield. 

"  We  have  no  household  stuff.  Neither 
could  I  live  in  the  terror  of  constant  alarms 
and  the  din  of  war.  Besides  I  know  not  how 
to  look  you  in  the  face,  unless  I  could  restore 
to  you  your  family  Expo  sit  er,  which  together 
with  my  Henry  on  the  Bible  &  Harveys 
Meditations  which  are  your  daughters  (the 
gift  of  her  grandmother)  I  pack' d  in  a  Trunk 
that  exactly  held  them,  some  days  before  I 
made  my  escape,  and  did  my  utmost  to  git 
to  you,  but  which  I  am  told  are  still  i7i  Bos- 
ton.    It  is  not,  nor  ever  will  be  in  my  power 

to 


FOREWORD.  Xili 

to  make  you  Satisfaction  for  this  Error  —  / 
should  not  have  coveted  to  keep  'em  so  long  — 
I  am  heartily  sorry  now  that  I  had  more  than 
one  book  at  a  time  ;  in  that  case  I  might  have 
thot  to  have  bmt  it  away  with  me,  thd  I  for- 
got my  own  Bible  &  almost  every  other  neces- 
sary. But  who  can  tell  whether  you  may  not 
git  your  Valuable  Books.  I  should  feel  com- 
paratively easy  if  you  had  these  your  Valu- 
able property!' 

Her  painful  solicitude  over  the  loss  of  a 
borrowed  book  is  indeed  refreshing,  as  well 
as  her  surprising  covetotcsness  of  the  Family 
Expositor  and  Harvey  s  Meditations.  And  I 
wish  to  add  to  the  posthumous  rehabilitation 
of  the  damaged  credit  of  this  conscientious 
aunty  that  Annas  book  —  Harvey s  Medita- 
tions —  was  recovered  and  restored  to  the 
owner,  and  was  lost  at  sea  in  184.O  by  another 
Winslow. 

Joshua  Winslow,  when  exiled,  went  to  Eng- 
land, and  thence  to  Quebec,  where  he  retained 
throughout  his  life  his  office  as  Royal  Pay- 
master. He  was  separated  many  years  from 
his  wife  and  daughter,  and  doubtless  Anna 
died  while  her  father  was  far  from  her  ;  for 
in  a  letter  dated  Quebec,  December  26,  1783, 
and  written  to  his  wife,  he  says, 

"  The 


Xiv  FOREWORD. 

"  The  Visiting  Season  is  come  on,  a  great 
practice  here  about  Christmas  and  the  New 
Year ;  on  the  return  of  which  I  congratulate 
my  Dearest  Anna  and  Friends  with  you,  it 
being  the  fifth  and  I  hope  the  last  I  shall  be 
obliged  to  see  the  return  of  in  a  Separation 
from  each  other  while  we  may  continue  upon 
the  same  Globe." 

She  shortly  after  joined  him  in  Quebec. 
His  letters  show  careful  preparations  for  her 
comfort  on  the  voyage.  They  then  were  child- 
less ;  Anna  s  brothers,  George  Scott  and  John 
Henry,  died  in  early  youth.  It  is  interesting 
to  note  that  Joshua  Wins  low  was  the  first  of 
the  Winslows  to  give  his  children  more  than 
one  baptismal  name. 

Joshua  Wins  low  was  a  man  of  much  dig- 
nity and  of  handsome  person,  if  we  can  trust 
the  Copley  portrait  and  miniature  of  him 
which  still  exist.  The  portrait  is  owned  by 
Mr.  James  F.  Trott  of  Niagara  Falls,  New 
York,  the  miniature  by  Mrs.  J.  F.  Lindsey  of 
Yorkville,  South  Carolina,  both  grandchil- 
dren of  General  John  Winslow,  His  letters 
display  much  intelligence.  His  spelling  is 
unusually  correct ;  his  penmanship  elegant  — 
as  was  that  of  all  the  Winslows  ;  his  forms 
of  expressiori  scholarly  and  careful.  He  some- 
times 


FOREWORD.  XV 

times  could  joke  a  little,  as  when  he  began  his 
letters  to  his  wife  Anna  thus  —  2.  N.  A.  — ■ 
though  it  is  possible  that  the  "  Obstructions  to 
a  free  Correspondence,  and  the  Circumspection 
we  are  obliged  to  practice  in  oitr  Converse 
with  each  other"  arising  from  his  exiled  con- 
dition, may  have  made  him  thus  use  a  rebus 
in  the  address  of  his  letter. 

He  died  in  Quebec  in  l8oi.  His  wife  re- 
turned to  New  England  and  died  in  Medford 
in  1 8  16.  Her  funeral  was  at  General  fohn 
Winslows  house  on  Purchase  Street,  Fort 
Hill,  Boston  ;  she  was  buried  in  the  Winslow 
tomb  in  Kings  Chapel  burial  ground. 


JJZE  know  little  of  the  last  years  of  Anna 
*"  Green  Winslows  life.  A  journal 
written  by  Jier  mother  in  IJJ3  during  their 
life  in  Marshfield  is  now  ozvned  by  Miss  Sa- 
rah Thomas  of  Marshfield,  Mass.  It  is  filled 
chiefly  with  pious  sermo7t  notes  and  religious 
thoughts,  and  sad  and  anxious  reflections  over 
absent  loved  ones,  07ie  of  whom  (in  the  senti- 
me?ital  fashion  of  the  times)  she  calls  "my 
Myron  "  —  her  husband. 

Through  this  journal  we  see  "  Nanny 
Green's"  simple  and  monotonous  daily  life ; 
her  little   tea-drinkings ;    her  spinning  and 

reeling 


xvi  FOREWORD. 

reeling  and  k?iitting ;  her  frequent  catechis- 
ings,  her  country  walks.  We  find  her  mother  s 
testimony  to  the  "  appearance  of  reason  that  is 
in  my  childre7i  and  for  the  readiness  with 
which  they  seem  to  learn  what  is  taught 
them'''  And  though  she  repeatedly  thanks 
God  for  living  in  a  warm  house,  she  notes 
that  "  my  bason  of  water  froze  on  the  hearth 
with  as  good  a  fire  as  we  could  make  in  the 
chimney"  This  rigor  of  climate  and  discom- 
fort of  residence,  and  A7inds  evident  delicacy 
shown  through  the  records  of  her  fainting,  ac- 
count for  her  failing  health.  The  last  defi- 
nite glimpse  which  we  have  of  our  gentle  lit- 
tle Nanny  is  in  the  shape  of  a  letter  written 
to  her  by  "Aunt  Deming"  It  is  dated  Bos- 
ton,  April  21,  1770,  and  is  so  characteristic  of 
the  day  and  so  amusing  also  that  I  quote  it  in 
full. 

Dear  Neice, 

I  receivd  your  favor  of  6th 
instant  by  nephew  Jack,  who  with  the  Col. 
his  trav  ling  companion,  perform }d  an  easy 
journey  from  you  to  us,  and  arrivd  before 
sunset.  I  thank  you  for  the  beads,  the  wire, 
and  the  beugles,  I  fancy  I  shall  never  execute 
the  plan  of  the  head  dress  to  which  you  al- 
lude —  if  I  shoidd,  some  of  your  largest  corn 

stalks, 


FOREWORD.  XV11 

stalks ;  driV d  of  the  pith  and  painted  might  be 
more  proportionable.  I  rejoice  that  your  cloths 
came  off  so  much  better  than  my  fears  —  a 
troublesome  journey,  I  expected  you  would 
have;  and  very  much  did  I  fear  for  your 
bones.  I  was  always  unhappy  in  anticipating 
trouble  —  it  is  my  constitution,  I  believe  — 
and  when  matters  have  been  better  than  my 
fears  —  /  Jiave  never  been  so  dutif icily  thank- 
ful as  my  bountiful  Benefactor  had  a  right  to 
expect.  This,  also,  I  believe,  is  the  constitu- 
tion of  all  my  fellow  race. 

Mr.  Denting  had  a  Letter  from  your  Papa 
yesterday  ;  he  mention  d  your  Mama  &  you 
as  indisposed  &  Flavia  as  sick  in  bed.  I  'm 
at  too  great  a  distance  to  render  you  the  least 
service,  and  were  I  near,  too  much  out  of 
health  to  —  some  part  of  the  time  —  even 
speak  to  you.  I  am  seiz  d  with  exceeding 
weakness  at  the  very  seat  of  life,  and  to  a 
greater  degree  than  I  ever  before  knew. 
Could  I  ride,  it  might  help  me,  but  that  is  an 
exercise  my  income  will  not  permit.  I  walk 
out  whenever  I  can.  The  day  will  surely 
come,  when  I  must  quit  this  frail  tabernacle, 
and  it  may  be  soon  —  I  certainly  know,  I  am 
not  of  importance  end  in  this  world,  for  any 
one  to  wish  my  stay  —  rather  am  I,  and  so  I 
consider  myself  as  a  cumberground.    However 

I 


XVlll  FOREWORD. 

I  shall  abide  my  appointed  time  &  I  desire  to 
be  found  waiting  for  my  change. 

Our  family  are  well — had  I  time  and 
spirits  I  could  acquaint  you  of  an  expedition 
two  sisters  made  to  Dorchester,  a  walk  begun 
at  sunrise  last  thursday  morning  —  dressed  in 
their  dammasks,  padusoy,  gauze,  ribbins,  fiap- 
ets,  flowers,  new  white  hats,  white  shades, 
and  black  leather  shoes,  (Pudingtons  make)  and 
finished  journey,  &  garments,  orniments,  and 
all  quite  finisJid  on  Saturday,  before  noon, 
(mud  over  shoes)  never  did  I  behold  such  de- 
struction in  so  short  a  space  —  bottom  of  pa- 
dusoy coat  firing  d  quite  round,  besides  places 
worn  entire  to  floss,  &  besides  frays,  dam- 
mask,  from  shoulders  to  bottom,  not  lightly 
soil ' d,  but  as  if  every  part  had  rub ' d  tables 
and  chairs  that  had  long  been  us V  to  wax 
mingV  d  with  grease.  I  could  have  cry  d,  for 
I  really  pitied  'em  —  nothing  left  fit  to  be  seen 
—  They  had  leave  to  go,  but  it  never  entered 
any  ones  tho'ts  but  their  own  to  be  dressd  in 
all  (even  to  loading)  of  their  best  —  their  all, 
as  you  know.  What  signifies  it  to  worry  ones 
selves  about  beings  that  are,  and  will  be,  just 
so  ?  I  can,  and  do  pity  and  advise,  but  I 
shall  git  no  credit  by  such  like.  The  eldest 
talks  much  of  learning  da?tcing,  music k  (the 
spinet   &  guitar),    embroidry,    dresden,    the 

French 


FOREWORD.  XIX 

French  tongue  &c  &c.  The  younger  with  an 
air  of  her  own,  advised  the  elder  when  she 
first  mention  d  French,  to  learn  first  to  read 
English,  and  was  answered  "  law,  so  I  can 
well  end  a  ready"  You  *ve  heard  her  do 
what  she  calls  reading,  I  believe.  Poor  crea- 
ture !      Well !  we  have  a  time  of  it  ! 

If  any  one  at  Marshfield  speaks  of  me  re- 
member me  to  them.  Nobody  knows  Vm 
writing,  each  being  gone  their  different  ways, 
&  all  from  home  except  the  little  one  who  is 
above  stairs.  Farewell  my  dear,  I  yve  wrote 
end  I  find  for  this  siting. 

Yr  affect 

Sarah  Deming. 

It  does  not  need  great  acuteness  to  read 
between  the  lines  of  this  letter  an  affectioriate 
desire  to  amuse  a  delicate  girl  whom  the 
writer  loved.  The  tradition  in  the  Wins  low 
family  is  that  Anna  Green  Wins  low  died  of 
consumption  at  Marshfield  in  the  fall  of  I J  J  9. 
There  is  no  town  or  church  record  of  her 
death,  no  known  grave  or  headstone  to  mark 
her  last  resting-place.  And  to  us  she  is  not 
dead,  but  lives  and  speaks  —  always  a  loving, 
endearing  little  child ;  not  so  passionate  and 
gifted  and  rare  a  creature  as  that  star  among 
children  —  Marjorie  Fleming  —  but  a  natural 

and 


XX  FOREWORD. 

and  homely  little  flower  of  New  England  life  ; 
fated  never  to  grow  old  or  feeble  or  dull  or 
sad,  but  to  live  forever  and  laugh  in  the  gla- 
mour of  eternal  happy  youth  through  the  few 
pages  of  her  time-stained  diary. 

Alice  Morse  Earle. 

Brooklyn  Heights,  September,  i8g^. 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE 

Anna  Green  Winslow.  From  miniature  now  owned 
by  Miss  Elizabeth  C.  Trott,  Niagara  Falls,  N.  Y. 

Frontispiece. 

Facsimile  of  Writing  of  Anna  Green  Winslow. 
From  original  diary I 

Wedding  Party  in  Boston  in  1756.  From  tapestry 
now  owned  by  American  Antiquarian  Society  ...     20 

General  Joshua  Winslow.  From  miniature  painted 
by  Copley,  1755,  and  now  owned  by  Mrs.  John  F. 
Lindsey,  Yorkville,  S.  C. 34 

Ebenezer  Storer.  From  portrait  painted  by  Copley, 
now  owned  by  Mrs.  Lewis  C.  Popham,  Scarsdale, 
N.  Y 45 

Hannah  Green  Storer.  From  portrait  painted  by 
Copley,  now  owned  by  Mrs.  Lewis  C.  Popham,  Scars- 
dale,  N.  Y 65 

Cut-Paper  Picture.  Cut  by  Mrs.  Sarah  Winslow 
Deming,  now  owned  by  James  F.  Trott,  Esq.,  Ni- 
agara Falls,  N.  Y 74 


J*  A&fics  cu**if"  uscyrut'  ^2/^  oruts 

qitt.  ao? ]  c*Jfpcvr  vna/rnnma,  <j&u  dan/'  Am&io  tfcjL,  'f-cts&.&Tb 

A&ro.. J faa  f&  /ooA.  uAjl  o/Aont  foSA.  ty&u  cfen&'A/no 

aft* cc£~ a,  /&r  OC/046& '  &c  &*&&&,  cot^/a&U'Sy  ffcett 

uVZLrJonS-  LvtyrxJ-Qo  -fa*  tfu,  J/0 &7ing<&- —  •?  crricc^-  wno 
fJi&na  fir/a  him  1  V-JYl.  cfcLw,  *S tA?t&  utritL  to  /ul^/oq  ?» 


DIARY   OF  ANNA   GREEN 
WINSLOW. 


Lady,  by  which  means  I  had  a  bit  of  the 
wedding  cake.  I  guess  I  shall  have  but 
little  time  for  journalising  till  after  thanks- 
giving. My  aunt  Deming1  says  I  shall 
make  one  pye  myself  at  least.  I  hope  some- 
body beside  myself  will  like  to  eat  a  bit  of 
my  Boston  pye  thou'  my  papa  and  you  did 
not  (I  remember)  chuse  to  partake  of  my 
Cumberland 2  performance.  I  think  I  have 
been  writing  my  own  Praises  this  morning. 
Poor  Job  was  forced  to  praise  himself  when 
no  man  would  do  him  that  justice.  I  am  not 
as  he  was.  I  have  made  two  shirts  for  unkle 
since  I  finish'd  mamma's  shifts. 

Novr    18th,    1771.  —  Mr.    Beacons3    text 
yesterday    was    Psalm    cxlix.    4.      For   the 

Lord 


2        DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN   WINSLOW. 

Lord  taketh  pleasure  in  his  people ;  he 
will  beautify  the  meek  with  salvation.  His 
Doctrine  was  something  like  this,  viz  :  That 
the  Salvation  of  Gods  people  mainly  con- 
sists in  Holiness.  The  name  Jesus  signifies 
a  Savior.  Jesus  saves  his  people  from  their 
Sins.  He  renews  them  in  the  spirit  of  their 
minds  —  writes  his  Law  in  their  hearts. 
Mr.  Beacon  ask'd  a  question.  What  is 
beauty  —  or,  wherein  does  true  beauty  con- 
sist ?  He  answer'd,  in  holiness  —  and  said  a 
great  deal  about  it  that  I  can't  remember,  & 
as  aunt  says  she  hant  leisure  now  to  help  me 
any  further  —  so  I  may  just  tell  you  a  little 
that  I  remember  without  her  assistance,  and 
that  I  repeated  to  her  yesterday  at  Tea  — 
He  said  he  would  lastly  address  himself  to 
the  young  people  :  My  dear  young  friends, 
you  are  pleased  with  beauty,  &  like  to  be 
tho't  beautifull  —  but  let  me  tell  ye,  you  1 
never  be  truly  beautifull  till  you  are  like  the 
King's  daughter,  all  glorious  within,  all  the 
orniments  you  can  put  on  while  your  souls 
are  unholy  make  you  the  more  like  white 
sepulchres  garnish' d  without,  but  full  of  de- 
formyty  within.     You  think  me  very  unpo- 

lite 


DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN   WINSLOW.        3 

lite  no  doubt  to  address  you  in  this  manner, 
but  I  must  go  a  little  further  and  tell  you, 
how  cource  soever  it  may  sound  to  your 
delicacy,  that  while  you  are  without  holiness, 
your  beauty  is  deformity  —  you  are  all  over 
black  &  defil'd,  ugly  and  loathsome  to  all 
holy  beings,  the  wrath  of  th'  great  God  lie's 
upon  you,  &  if  you  die  in  this  condition,  you 
will  be  turn'd  into  hell,  with  ugly  devils,  to 
eternity. 

Nov.  27th.  —  We  are  very  glad  to  see  Mr. 
Gannett,  because  of  him  "we  hear  of  your 
affairs  &  how  you  do  " —  as  the  apostle  Paul 
once  wrote.  My  unkle  &  aunt  however,  say 
they  are  sorry  he  is  to  be  absent,  so  long  as 
this  whole  winter,  I  think.  I  long  now  to 
have  you  come  up  —  I  want  to  see  papa, 
mama,  &  brother,  all  most,  for  I  cannot  make 
any  distinction  which  most  —  I  should  like 
to  see  Harry  too.  Mr.  Gannett  tells  me  he 
keeps  a  journal  —  I  do  want  to  see  that  — 
especially  as  Mr.  Gannett  has  given  me  some 
specimens,  as  I  may  say  of  his  "  I  and  Aunt 
&c."  I  am  glad  Miss  Jane  is  with  you,  I 
will  write  to  her  soon  —  Last  monday  I  went 
with  my  aunt  to  visit  Mrs.   Beacon.     I  was 

exceedingly 


4        DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN  WINSLOW. 

exceedingly  pleased  with  the  visit,  &  so  I 
ought  to  be,  my  aunt  says,  for  there  was 
much  notice  taken  of  me,  particylarly  by  Mr. 
Beacon.  I  think  I  like  him  better  every 
time  I  see  him.  I  suppose  he  takes  the 
kinder  notice  of  me,  because  last  thursday 
evening  he  was  here,  &  when  I  was  out  of 
the  room,  aunt  told  him  that  I  minded  his 
preaching  &  could  repeat  what  he  said  — 
I  might  have  told  you  that  notwithstand- 
ing the  stir  about  the  Proclamatien,  we  had 
an  agreable  Thanksgiven.  Mr.  Hunt's4  text 
was  Psa.  xcvii.  i.  The  Lord  reigneth, — let 
the  earth  rejoice.  Mr.  Beacon's  text  P  M 
Psa.  xxiv.  i.  The  earth  is  the  Lord's  &  the 
fulness  thereof.  My  unkle  &  aunt  Winslow  5 
of  Boston,  their  son  &  daughter,  Master 
Daniel  Mason  (Aunt  Winslows  nephew  from 
Newport,  Rhode  Island)  &  Miss  Soley6  spent 
the  evening  with  us.  We  young  folk  had 
a  room  with  a  fire  in  it  to  ourselves.  Mr 
Beacon  gave  us  his  company  for  one  hour. 
I  spent  Fryday  with  my  friends  in  Sudbury 
Street.  I  saw  Mrs.  Whitwell7  very  well 
yesterday,  she  was  very  glad  of  your  Letter. 
Nov.    28th.  —  I    have    your    favor    Hond 

Mamma, 


DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN  WINS  LOW.        5 

Mamma,  by  Mr.  Gannett,  &  heartily  thank 
you  for  the  broad  cloath,  bags,  ribbin  &  hat. 
The  cloath  &  bags  are  both  at  work  upon,  & 
my  aunt  has  bought  a  beautifull  ermin  trim- 
ming for  my  cloak.  A  C  stands  for  Abigail 
Church.  P  F  for  Polly  Frazior.  I  have 
presented  one  piece  of  ribbin  to  my  aunt  as 
you  directed.  She  gives  her  love  to  you,  & 
thanks  you  for  it.  I  intend  to  send  Nancy 
Mackky  a  pair  of  lace  mittens,  &  the  fag 
end  of  Harry's  watch  string.  I  hope  Carolus 
(as.  papa  us'd  to  call  him)  will  think  his 
daughter  very  smart  with  them.  I  am  glad 
Hond  madam,  that  you  think  my  writing  is 
better  than  it  us'd  to  be  —  you  see  it  is 
mended  just  here.  I  dont  know  what  you 
mean  by  terrible  margins  vaze.  I  will  en- 
deavor to  make  my  letters  even  for  the 
future.  Has  Mary  brought  me  any  Lozong 
Mamma  ?  I  want  to  know  whether  I  may 
give  my  old  black  quilt  to  Mrs  Kuhn,  for 
aunt  sais,  it  is  never  worth  while  to  take  the 
pains  to  mend  it  again.  Papa  has  wrote  me 
a  longer  letter  this  time  than  you  have 
Madm. 

November  the  29th. — -My  aunt  Deming 

gives 


6        DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN  WINSLOW. 

gives  her  love  to  you  and  says  it  is  this 
morning  12  years  since  she  had  the  pleasure 
of  congratulating  papa  and  you  on  the  birth 
of  your  scribling  daughter.  She  hopes  if  I 
live  12  years  longer  that  I  shall  write  and 
do  everything  better  than  can  be  expected 
in  the  past  12.  I  should  be  obliged  to  you, 
you  will  dismiss  me  for  company. 

30th  Nov.  —  My  company  yesterday  were 

Miss  Polly  Deming,8 
Miss  Polly  Glover,9 
Miss  Peggy  Draper, 
Miss  Bessy  Winslow,10 
Miss  Nancy  Glover,11 
Miss  Sally  Winslow  12 
Miss  Polly  Atwood, 
Miss  Hanh  Soley. 

Miss  Attwood  as  well  as  Miss  Winslow  are 
of  this  family.  And  Miss  N.  Glover  did 
me  honor  by  her  presence,  for  she  is  older 
than  cousin  Sally  and  of  her  acquaintance. 
We  made  four  couple  at  country  dansing ; 
danceing  I  mean.  In  the  evening  young 
Mr.  Waters13  hearing  of  my  assembly,  put 

his 


DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN  WINS  LOW.        J 

his  flute  in  his  pocket  and  played  several 
minuets  and  other  tunes,  to  which  we  danced 
mighty  cleverly.  But  Lucinda14  was  our 
principal  piper.  Miss  Church  and  Miss 
Chaloner  would  have  been  here  if  sickness, 

—  and  the  Miss  Sheafs,15  if  the  death  of 
their  father  had  not  prevented.  The  black 
Hatt  I  gratefully  receive  as  your  present, 
but  if  Captain  Jarvise  had  arrived  here  with 
it  about  the  time  he  sail'd  from  this  place 
for  Cumberland  it  would  have  been  of  more 
service  to  me,  for  I  have  been  oblig'd  to 
borrow.  I  wore  Miss  Griswold's 16  Bonnet 
on  my  journey  to  Portsmouth,  &  my  cousin 
Sallys  Hatt  ever  since  I  came  home,  &  now 
I  am  to  leave  off  my  black  ribbins  tomorrow, 
&  am  to  put  on  my  red  cloak  &  black  hatt 

—  I  hope  aunt  wont  let  me  wear  the  black 
hatt  with  the  red  Dominie  —  for  the  people 
will  ask  me  what  I  have  got  to  sell  as  I  go 
along  street  if  I  do,  or,  how  the  folk  at  New 
guinie  do  ?  Dear  mamma,  you  dont  know 
the  fation  here  —  I  beg  to  look  like  other 
folk.  You  dont  know  what  a  stir  would  be 
made  in  sudbury  street,  were  I  to  make  my 
appearance  there  in  my  red  Dominie  &  black 

Hatt. 


8        DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN  WINSLOW. 

Hatt.  But  the  old  cloak  &  bonnett  together 
will  make  me  a  decent  bonnett  for  common 
ocation  (I  like  that)  aunt  says,  its  a  pitty 
some  of  the  ribbins  you  sent  wont  do  for  the 
Bonnet. — I  must  now  close  up  this  Journal 
With  Duty,  Love,  &  Compliments  as  due, 
perticularly  to  my  Dear  little  brother  (I  long 
to  see  him)  &  Mrs.  Law,  I  will  write  to  her 
soon. 

I  am  Hond  Papa  &  mama, 

Yr  ever  Dutiful  Daughter 

Anne  Green  Winslow. 

N.  B.  My  aunt  Deming  dont  approve  of 
my  English  &  has  not  the  fear  that  you  will 
think  her  concernd  in  the  Diction. 

Decbr.  6th.  —  Yesterday  I  was  prevented 
dining  at  unkle  Joshua's17  by  a  snow  storm 
which  lasted  till  12  o'clock  today,  I  spent 
some  part  of  yesterday  afternoon  and  even- 
ing at  Mr.  Glovers.  When  I  came  home, 
the  snow  being  so  deep  I  was  bro't  home  in 
arms.  My  aunt  got  Mr.  Soley's  Charlstown 
to  fetch  me.  The  snow  is  up  to  the  peoples 
wast  in  some  places  in  the  street. 

Dec 


DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN  WINS  LOW.        9 

Dec  14th.  —  The  weather  and  walking 
have  been  very  winter  like  since  the  above 
hotch-potch,  pothooks  &  trammels.  I  went 
to  Mrs.  Whitwell's  last  wednessday — you 
taught  me  to  spell  the  4  day  of  the  week, 
but  my  aunt  says  that  it  should  be  spelt 
Wednesday.  My  aunt  also  says,  that  till  I 
come  out  of  an  egregious  fit  of  laughterre 
that  is  apt  to  sieze  me  &  the  violence  of 
which  I  am  at  this  present  under,  neither 
English  sense,  nor  anything  rational  may  be 
expected  of  me.  I  ment  to  say,  that,  I  went 
to  Mrs.  Whitwell's  to  see  Madm  Store rs  18  fu- 
neral, the  walking  was  very  bad  except  on 
the  sides  of  the  street  which  was  the  reason 
I  did  not  make  a  part  of  the  procession.  I 
should  have  dined  with  Mrs.  Whitwell  on 
thursday  if  a  grand  storm  had  not  prevented, 
As  she  invited  me.  I  saw  Miss  Caty  Vans 19 
at  lecture  last  evening.  I  had  a  visit  this 
morning  from  Mrs  Dixon  of  Horton  &  Miss 
Polly  Huston.  Mrs  Dixon  is  dissipointed 
at  not  finding  her  sister  here. 

Decr  24th.  —  Elder  Whitwell  told  my  aunt, 
that  this  winter  began  as  did  the  Winter  of 
1740.     How  that  was  I  dont  remember  but 

this 


10     DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN  WINSLOW. 

this  I  know,  that  to-day  is  by  far  the  coldest 
we  have  had  since  I  have  been  in  New  Eng- 
land. (N.  B.  All  run  that  are  abroad.)  Last 
sabbath  being  rainy  I  went  to  &  from  meet- 
ing in  Mr.  Soley's  chaise.  I  dined  at  un- 
kle  Winslow's,  the  walking  being  so  bad  I 
rode  there  &  back  to  meeting.  Every  drop 
that  fell  froze,  so  that  from  yesterday  morn- 
ing to  this  time  the  appearance  has  been 
similar  to  the  discription  I  sent  you  last 
winter.  The  walking  is  so  slippery  &  the 
air  so  cold,  that  aunt  chuses  to  have  me  for 
her  scoller  these  two  days.  And  as  tomor- 
row will  be  a  holiday,  so  the  pope  and  his 
associates  have  ordained,20  my  aunt  thinks 
not  to  trouble  Mrs  Smith  with  me  this  week. 
I  began  a  shift  at  home  yesterday  for  myself, 
it  is  pretty  forward.  Last  Saturday  was 
seven-night  my  aunt  Suky21  was  delivered 
of  a  pretty  little  son,  who  was  baptiz'd  by 
Dr.  Cooper22  the  next  day  by  the  name  of 
Charles.  I  knew  nothing  of  it  till  noonday, 
when  I  went  there  a  visiting.  Last  Thurs- 
day I  din'd  &  spent  the  afternoon  at  unkle 
Joshua's  I  should  have  gone  to  lecture  with 
my  aunt  &  heard  our  Mr  Hunt  preach,  but 

she 


DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN  WINS  LOW.      II 

she  would  not  wait  till  I  came  from  writing 
school.  Miss  Atwood,  the  last  of  our  board- 
ers, went  off*  the  same  day.  Miss  Griswold 
&  Miss  Meriam,  having  departed  some  time 
agone,  I  forget  whether  I  mention'd  the 
recept  of  Nancy's  present.  I  am  oblig'd  to 
her  for  it.  The  Dolphin  is  still  whole.  And 
like  to  remain  so. 

Decr )  This  day,  the  extremity  of  the  cold 
27th  )  is  somewhat  abated.  I  keept  Christ- 
mas at  home  this  year,  &  did  a  very  good 
day's  work,  aunt  says  so.  How  notable  I 
have  been  this  week  I  shall  tell  you  by  &  by. 
I  spent  the  most  part  of  Tuesday  evening 
with  my  favorite,  Miss  Soley,  &  as  she  is 
confined  by  a  cold  &  the  weather  still  so 
severe  that  I  cannot  git  farther,  I  am  to  visit 
her  again  before  I  sleep,  &  consult  with  her 
(or  rather  she  with  me)  upon  a  perticular 
matter,  which  you  shall  know  in  its  place. 
How  strangely  industrious  I  have  been  this 
week,  I  will  inform  you  with  my  own  hand 
—  at  present,  I  am  so  dilligent,  that  I  am 
oblig'd  to  use  the  hand  &  pen  of  my  old 
friend,  who  being  near  by  is  better  than  a 
brother  far  off.      I  dont   forgit  dear  little 

John 


12     DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN  WINSLOW. 


Decr)    L 
28th   )   I 


John  Henry  so  pray  mamma,  dont  mistake 
me. 

Last  evening  a  little  after  5  o'clock 
finished  my  shift.  I  spent  the 
evening  at  Mr.  Soley's.  I  began  my  shift  at 
12  o'clock  last  monday,  have  read  my  bible 
every  day  this  week  &  wrote  every  day  save 
one. 

Decr)  I  return' d  to  my  sewing  school 
30th  )  after  a  weeks  absence,  I  have  also 
paid  my  compliments  to  Master  Holbrook.23 
Yesterday  between  meetings  my  aunt  was 
call'd  to  Mrs.  Water's 13  &  about  8  in  the 
evening  Dr.  Lloyd24  brought  little  master  to 
town  (N.  B.  As  a  memorandum  for  myself. 
My  aunt  stuck  a  white  sattan  pincushin25 
for  Mrs  Waters.13  On  one  side,  is  a  plan- 
thorn  with  flowers,  on  the  reverse,  just  un- 
der the  border  are,  on  one  side  stuck  these 
words,  Josiah  Waters,  then  follows  on  the 
end,  Decr  1771,  on  the  next  side  &  end  are 
the  words,  Welcome  little  Stranger.)  Unkle 
has  just  come  in  &  bro't  one  from  me.  I 
mean,  unkle  is  just  come  in  with  a  letter 
from  Papa  in  his  hand  (&  none  for  me)  by 
way  of  Newbury.     I  am  glad  to  hear  that  all 

was 


DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN  WINS  LOW.      1 3 

was  well  the  26  Novr  ult.  I  am  told  my 
Papa  has  not  mention'd  me  in  this  Letter. 
Out  of  sight,  out  of  mind.  My  aunt  gives 
her  love  to  papa,  &  says  that  she  will  make 
the  necessary  enquieries  for  my  brother  and 
send  you  via.  Halifax  what  directions  and 
wormseed  she  can  collect. 

Ist  Jan?)  I  wish  my  Papa,  Mama,  brother 
1772.  )  John  Henry,  &  cousin  Avery  & 
all  the  rest  of  my  acquaintance  at  Cumber- 
land, Fortlaurence,  Barronsfield,  Greenland, 
Amherst  &c.  a  Happy  New  Year,  I  have  be- 
stow'd  no  new  year's  gift,26  as  yet.  But  have 
received  one  very  handsome  one,  viz.  the 
History  of  Joseph  Andrews  abreviated.  In 
nice  Guilt  and  flowers  covers.  This  after- 
noon being  a  holiday  I  am  going  to  pay  my 
compliments  in  Sudbury  Street. 

Jany  4th  )  I  was  dress' d  in  my  yellow  coat, 
1 772  )  my  black  bib  &  apron,  my  pom- 
pedore27  shoes,  the  cap  my  aunt  Storer28 
sometime  since  presented  me  with  (blue 
ribbins  on  it)  &  a  very  handsome  loket  in 
the  shape  of  a  hart  she  gave  me  —  the  past 
pin  my  Hond  Papa  presented  me  with  in  my 
cap,  My  new  cloak  &  bonnet  on,  my  pompe- 

dore 


14     DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN  WINS  LOW. 

dore  gloves,  &c,  &c.  And  I  would  tell  you, 
that  for  the  first  time,  they  all  lik'd  my  dress 
very  much.  My  cloak  &  bonnett  are  really 
very  handsome,  &  so  they  had  need  be.  For 
they  cost  an  amasing  sight  of  money,  not 
quite  ^45  29  tho'  Aunt  Suky  said,  that  she 
suppos'd  Aunt  Deming  would  be  frighted 
out  of  her  Wits  at  the  money  it  cost.  I  have 
got  one  covering,  by  the  cost,  that  is  genteel, 
&  I  like  it  much  myself.  On  thursday  I 
attended  my  aunt  to  Lecture  &  heard  Dr 
Chauncey  30  preach  a  third  sermon  from  Acts 
li.  42.  They  continued  stedfastly  —  in  break- 
ing of  bread.  I  din'd  &  spent  the  afternoon 
at  Mr.  Whitwell's.  Miss  Caty  Vans  was  one 
of  our  company.  Dr.  Pemberton31  &  Dr 
Cooper  had  on  gowns,  In  the  form  of  the 
Episcopal  cassock  we  hear,  the  Docts  design 
to  distinguish  themselves  from  the  inferior 
clergy  by  these  strange  habits  [at  a  time 
too  when  the  good  people  of  N.  E.  are 
threaten'd  with  &  dreading  the  comeing  of 
an  episcopal  bishop]  32  N.  B.  I  dont  know 
whether  one  sleeve  would  make  a  full  trimm'd 
negligee  33  as  the  fashion  is  at  present,  tho* 
I  cant  say  but  it  might  make  one  of  the  fru- 
gal 


DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN   WINS  LOW.      1 5 

gal  sort,  with  but  scant  triming.  Unkle 
says,  they  all  have  popes  in  their  bellys. 
Contrary  to  I.  Peter  v.  2.  3.  Aunt  says, 
when  she  saw  Dr  P.  roll  up  the  pulpit  stairs, 
the  figure  of  Parson  Trul liber,  recorded  by 
Mr  Fielding  occur' d  to  her  mind  &  she  was 
really  sorry  a  congregational  divine,  should, 
by  any  instance  whatever,  give  her  so  un- 
pleasing  an  idea. 

Jan? )  I  have  attended  my  schools  every 
11th  )  day  this  week  except  Wednesday 
afternoon.  When  I  made  a  setting  up  visit 
to  aunt  Suky,  &  was  dress'd  just  as  I  was 
to  go  to  the  ball.  It  cost  me  a  pistoreen  34 
to  nurse  Eaton  for  tow  cakes,  which  I  took 
care  to  eat  before  I  paid  for  them.35  I  heard 
Mr  Thacher  preach  our  Lecture  last  evening 
Heb.  11.  3.  I  remember  a  great  deal  of  the 
sermon,  but  a'nt  time  to  put  it  down.  It  is 
one  year  last  Sepr  since  he  was  ordain' d  & 
he  will  be  20  years  of  age  next  May  if  he 
lives  so  long.  I  forgot  that  the  weather 
want  fit  for  me  to  go  to  school  last  thursday. 
I  work'd  at  home. 

Jany )   I  told  you  the  27th  Ult  that  I  was 
17th  )   going  to  a  constitation  with  miss 

Soley. 


1 6     DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN  WINSLOW. 

Soley.  I  have  now  the  pleasure  to  give  you 
the  result,  viz.  a  very  genteel  well  regulated 
assembly  which  we  had  at  Mr  Soley's  last 
evening,  miss  Soley  being  mistress  of  the 
ceremony.  Mrs  Soley  desired  me  to  assist 
Miss  Hannah  in  making  out  a  list  of  guests 
which  I  did  some  time  since,  I  wrote  all  the 
invitation  cards.  There  was  a  large  company 
assembled  in  a  handsome,  large,  upper  room 
in  the  new  end  of  the  house.  We  had  two 
riddles,  &  I  had  the  honor  to  open  the  diver- 
sion of  the  evening  in  a  minuet  with  miss 
Soley.  —  Here  follows  a  list  of  the  company 
as  we  form'd  for  country  dancing. 
Miss  Soley  &  Miss    Anna    Greene 

Winslow 
Miss  Calif  Miss  Scott 

Miss  Williams  Miss  McCarthy 

Miss  Codman  Miss  Winslow 

Miss  Ives  Miss  Coffin 

Miss  Scolley  36  Miss  Bella  Coffin 37 

Miss  Waldow  Miss  Quinsy  ^ 

Miss  Glover  Miss  Draper 

Miss  Hubbard 

Miss  Cregur  (usually  pronounced  Kicker) 
&  two  Miss  Sheafs  were  invited  but  were 

sick 


DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN   WINSLOW.      I J 

sick  or  sorry  &  beg'd  to  be  excus'd.  There 
was  a  little  Miss  Russell  &  the  little  ones  of 
the  family  present  who  could  not  dance. 
As  spectators,  there  were  Mr  &  Mrs  Dem- 
ing,  Mr.  &  Mrs  Sweetser  Mr  &  Mrs  Soley,  Mr 
&  Miss  Cary,  Mrs  Draper,  Miss  Oriac,  Miss 
Hannah  —  our  treat  was  nuts,  rasins,  Cakes, 
Wine,  punch,39  hot  &  cold,  all  in  great  plenty. 
We  had  a  very  agreeable  evening  from  5  to 
10  o'clock.  For  variety  we  woo'd  a  widow, 
hunted  the  whistle,  threaded  the  needle,  & 
while  the  company  was  collecting,  we  di- 
verted ourselves  with  playing  of  pawns,  no 
rudeness  Mamma  I  assure  you.  Aunt  Dem- 
ing  desires  you  would  perticulary  observe, 
that  the  elderly  part  of  the  company  were 
spectators  only,  they  mix'd  not  in  either  of 
the  above  describ'd  scenes. 

I  was  dress'd  in  my  yellow  coat,  black  bib 
&  apron,  black  feathers  on  my  head,  my  past 
comb,  &  all  my  past40  garnet  marquesett41 
&  jet  pins,  together  with  my  silver  plume 
—  my  loket,  rings,  black  collar  round  my 
neck,  black  mitts  &  2  or  3  yards  of  blue 
ribbin,  (black  &  blue  is  high  tast)  striped 
tucker  and  ruff  els  (not  my  best)  &  my  silk 
shoes  compleated  my  dress.  Jan? 


1 8     DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN  WINSLOW. 

Jan?)  Yesterday  I  had  an  invitation  to 
18th)  celebrate  Miss  Caty's  birth-day  with 
her.  She  gave  it  me  the  night  before.  Miss 
is  10  years  old.  The  best  dancer  in  Mr 
Turners  ^  school,  she  has  been  his  scoller 
these  3  years.  My  aunt  thought  it  proper 
(as  our  family  had  a  invitation)  that  I  should 
attend  a  neighbor's  funeral  yesterday  P.  M. 
I  went  directly  from  it  to  Miss  Caty's  Rout 
&  arriv'd  ex  .  ... 

Boston  January  25  1772. 
Hon'd  Mamma,  My  Hon'd  Papa  has  never 
signified  to  me  his  approbation  of  my  jour- 
nals, from  whence  I  infer,  that  he  either 
never  reads  them,  or  does  not  give  himself 
the  trouble  to  remember  any  of  their  con- 
tents, tho'  some  part  has  been  address'd  to 
him,  so,  for  the  future,  I  shall  trouble  only 
you  with  this  part  of  my  scribble  —  Last 
thursday  I  din'd  at  Unkle  Storer's  &  spent 
the  afternoon  in  that  neighborhood.  I  met 
with  some  adventures  in  my  way  viz.  As  I 
was  going,  I  was  overtaken  by  a  lady  who 
was  quite  a  stranger  to  me.  She  accosted  me 
with  "how  do  you  do  miss?"     I  answer'd 

her, 


DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN  WINSLOW.      1 9 

her,  but  told  her  I  had  not  the  pleasure  of 
knowing  her.  She  then  ask'd  "  what  is  your 
name  miss  ?  I  believe  you  think  't  is  a  very 
strange  questian  to  ask,  but  have  a  mind  to 
know."  Nanny  Green —  She  interrupted  me 
with  "  not  Mrs.  Winslow  of  Cumberland's 
daughter."  Yes  madam  I  am.  When  did 
you  hear  from  your  Mamma  ?  how  do's  she 
do  ?  When  shall  you  write  to  her  ?  When 
you  do,  tell  her  that  you  was  overtaken  in 
the  street  by  her  old  friend  Mrs  Login,  give 
my  love  to  her  &  tell  her  she  must  come  up 
soon  &  live  on  Jamaca  plain,  we  have  got 
a  nice  meeting-house,  &  a  charming  minis- 
ter, &  all  so  cleaver.  She  told  me  she  had 
ask'd  Unkle  Harry  to  bring  me  to  see  her, 
&  he  said  he  would.  Her  minister  is  Mr 
Gordon.  I  have  heard  him  preach  several 
times  at  the  O.  South.  In  the  course  of  my 
peregrination,  as  aunt  calls  it,  I  happen'd  in 

to  a  house  where  D was  attending  the 

Lady  of  the  family.  How  long  she  was  at 
his  opperation,  I  know  not.  I  saw  him  twist 
&  tug  &  pick  &  cut  off  whole  locks  of  grey 
hair  at  a  slice  (the  lady  telling  him  she 
would  have  no  hair  to  dress  next  time)  for 

the 


20     DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN  WINS  LOW. 

the  space  of  a  hour  &  a  half,  when  I  left 
them,  he  seeming  not  to  be  near  done.  This 
lady  is  not  a  grandmother  tho'  she  is  both 
old  enough  &  grey  enough  to  be  one. 

Jan?  )  I  spent  yesterday  with  Aunt  Storer, 
3 1  )  except  a  little  while  I  was  at  Aunt 
Sukey's  with  Mrs  Barrett  dress'd  in  a  white 
brocade,  &  cousin  Betsey  dress'd  in  a  red 
lutestring,  both  adorn' d  with  past,  perls  mar- 
quesett  &c.  They  were=  after  tea  escorted  by 
Mr.  Newton  &  Mr  Barrett  to  ye  assembly  at 
Concert  Hall.  This  is  a  snowy  day,  &  I  am 
prevented  going  to  school. 

Feb.  9th.  —  My  honored  Mamma  will  be  so 
good  as  to  excuse  my  useing  the  pen  of  my 
old  friend  just  here,  because  I  am  disabled 
by  a  whitloe  on  my  fourth  finger  &  something 
like  one  on  my  middle  finger,  from  using  my 
own  pen  ;  but  altho'  my  right  hand  is  in 
bondage,  my  left  is  free  ;  &  my  aunt  says,  it 
will  be  a  nice  oppertunity  if  I  do  but  im- 
prove it,  to  perfect  myself  in  learning  to  spin 
flax.  I  am  pleased  with  the  proposal  &  am 
at  this  present,  exerting  myself  for  this  pur- 
pose. I  hope,  when  two,  or  at  most  three 
months  are  past,  to  give  you  occular  demon- 
stration 


%Ju 


WEDDING  PARTY  IN   BOSTON   IN   1756 


DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN  WINSLOW.      21 

stration  of  my  proficiency  in  this  artt  as  well 
as  several  others.  My  fingers  are  not  the 
only  part  of  me  that  has  suffer'd  with  sores 
within  this  fortnight,  for  I  have  had  an  ugly 
great  boil  upon  my  right  hip  &  about  a  dozen 
small  ones  —  I  am  at  present  swath'd  hip  & 
thigh,  as  Samson  smote  the  Philistines,  but 
my  soreness  is  near  over.  My  aunt  thought 
it  highly  proper  to  give  me  some  cooling 
physick,  so  last  tuesday  I  took  1-2  oz  Globe 
Salt  (a  disagreeable  potion)  &  kept  chamber. 
Since  which,  there  has  been  no  new  errup- 
tion,  &  a  great  alteration  for  the  better  in 
those  I  had  before. 

I  have  read  my  bible  to  my  aunt  this 
morning  (as  is  the  daily  custom)  &  some- 
times I  read  other  books  to  her.  So  you 
may  perceive,  I  have  the  tise  of  my  tongue 
&  I  tell  her  it  is  a  good  thing  to  have  the 
use  of  my  tongue.  Unkle  Ned  43  called  here 
just  now  —  all  well  —  by  the  way  he  is  come 
to  live  in  Boston  again,  &  till  he  can  be  bet- 
ter accomodated,  is  at  housekeeping  where 
Madm  Storer  lately  lived,  he  is  looking  for  a 
less  house.  I  tell  my  Aunt  I  feel  a  disposi- 
cian  to  be  a  good  girl,  &  she  pleases  herself 

that 


22     DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN  WINSLOW. 

that  she  shall  have  much  comfort  of  me 
to-day,  which  as  cousin  Sally  is  ironing  we 
expect  to  have  to  ourselves. 

Feb.  10th.  —  This  day  I  paid  my  respects  to 
Master  Holbrook,  after  a  week's  absence,  my 
ringer  is  still  in  limbo  as  you  may  see  by  the 
writeing.  I  have  not  paid  my  compliments 
to  Madam  Smith,44  for,  altho'  I  can  drive  the 
goos  quill  a  bit,  I  cannot  so  well  manage  the 
needle.  So  I  will  lay  my  hand  to  the  distaff, 
as  the  virtuous  woman  did  of  old  —  Yester- 
day was  very  bad  weather,  neither  aunt,  nor 
niece  at  publick  worship. 

Feb.  12th.  —  Yesterday  afternoon  I  spent 
at  unkle  Joshuas.  Aunt  Green  gave  me  a 
plaister  for  my  fingure  that  has  near  cur'd  it, 
but  I  have  a  new  boil,  which  is  under  poul- 
tice, &  tomorrow  I  am  to  undergo  another 
seasoning  with  globe  Salt.  The  following 
lines  Aunt  Deming  found  in  grandmama 
Sargent's  45  pocket-book  &  gives  me  leave  to 
copy  'em  here.  — 

Dim  eyes,  deaf  ears,  cold  stomach  shew, 

My  dissolution  is  in  view 

The  shuttle 's  thrown,  my  race  is  run, 

My  sun  is  set,  my  work  is  done ; 

My  span  is  out,  my  tale  is  told, 

My 


DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN  WINS  LOW.     2$ 

My  flower 's  decay'd,  &  stock  grows  old, 
The  dream  is  past,  the  shadows  fled, 
My  soul  now  longs  for  Christ  my  head, 
I  've  lived  to  seventy  six  or  nigh, 
God  calls  at  last,  &  now  I  '11  die.46 


My  honor'd  Grandma  departed  this  *vale 
of  tears  1-4  before  4  o'clock  Wednesday  morn- 
ing August  21,  1 77 1.  Aged  74  years,  2 
months  &  ten  days. 

Feb.  13th.  —  Everybody  says  that  this  is  a 
bitter  cold  day,  but  I  know  nothing  about  it 
but  hearsay  for  I  am  in  aunt's  chamber  (which 
is  very  warm  always)  with  a  nice  fire,  a  stove, 
sitting  in  Aunt's  easy  chair,  with  a  tall  three 
leav'd  screen  at  my  back,  &  I  am  very  com- 
fortable. I  took  my  second  (&  I  hope  last) 
potion  of  Globe  salts  this  morning.  I  went 
to  see  Aunt  Storer  yesterday  afternoon,  & 
by  the  way  Unkle  Storer  is  so  ill  that  he 
keeps  chamber.  As  I  went  down  I  call'd  at 
Mrs  Whitwell's  &  must  tell  you  Mr  &  Mrs 
Whitwell  are  both  ill.  Mrs.  Whitwell  with 
the  rheumatism.  I  saw  Madm  Harris,  Mrs 
Mason  and  Miss  Polly  Vans  47  there,  they  all 
give  their  love  to  you  —  Last  evening  I  went 
to   catechizing  with  Aunt.      Our   ministers 

have 


24     D2ARY   OF  ANNA    GREEN    W1NSL0W. 

have  agreed  during  the  long  evenings  to  dis- 
course upon  the  questions  or  some  of  'em  in 
the  assembly's  shorter  catechism,  taking  'em 
in  their  order  at  the  house  of  Mrs  Rogers 
in  School  Street,  every  Wednesday  evening. 
Mr.  Hunt  began  with  the  first  question  and 
shew'd  what  it  is  to  glorify  God.  Mr 
Bacon  then  took  the  second,  what  rule  &c. 
which  he  has  spent  three  evenings  upon,  & 
now  finished.  Mr  Hunt  having  taken  his 
turn  to  show  what  the  Scriptures  principly 
teach,  &  what  is  God.  I  remember  he  said 
that  there  was  nothing  properly  done  with- 
out a  rule,  &  he  said  that  the  rule  God  had 
given  us  to  glorify  him  by  was  the  bible. 
How  miraculously  (said  he)  has  God  pre- 
serv'd  this  blessed  book.  It  was  once  in  the 
reign  of  a  heathen  emperor  condemn'd  to  be 
burnt,  at  which  time  it  was  death  to  have  a 
bible  &  conceal  it,  but  God's  providence  was 
wonderful  in  preserving  it  when  so  much 
human  policy  had  been  exerted  to  bury  it  in 
Oblivion  —  but  for  all  that,  here  we  have  it 
as  pure  &  uncorrupted  as  ever  —  many  books 
of  human  composure  have  had  much  pains 
taken  to  preserve  'em,  notwithstanding  they 

are 


'       DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN  WINS  LOW.      25 

are  buried  in  Oblivion.  He  considered  who 
was  the  author  of  the  bible,  he  prov'd  that 
God  was  the  author,  for  no  good  man  could 
be  the  author,  because  such  a  one  would  not 
be  guilty  of  imposition,  &  an  evil  man  could 
not  unless  we  suppose  a  house  divided  against 
itself,  he  said  a  great  deal  more  to  prove 
the  bible  is  certainly  the  word  of  God  from 
the  matter  it  contains  &c,  but  the  best  evi- 
dence of  the  truth  of  divine  revelation,  every 
true  believer  has  in  his  own  heart.  This  he 
said,  the  natural  man  had  no  idea  of.  I  did 
not  understand  all  he  said  about  the  external 
and  internal  evidence,  but  this  I  can  say,  that 
I  understand  him  better  than  any  body  else 
that  I  hear  preach.  Aunt  has  been  down 
stairs  all  the  time  I  have  been  recolecting  & 
writeing  this.  Therefore,  all  this  of  own 
head,  of  consequence. 

Valentine  day.48  —  My  cousin  Sally  reeled 
off  a  10  knot  skane  of  yarn  today.  My 
valentine  was  an  old  country  plow-jogerc 
The  yarn  was  of  my  spinning.  Aunt  says 
it  will  do  for  filling.  Aunt  also  says  niece 
is  a  whimsical  child. 

Feb.   17.  —  Since   Wednesday   evening,    I 

have 


26     DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN  WINSLOW. 

have  not  been  abroad  since  yesterday  after- 
noon. I  went  to  meeting  &  back  in  Mr. 
Soley's  chaise.  Mr.  Hunt  preached.  He 
said  that  human  nature  is  as  opposite  to 
God  as  darkness  to  light.  That  our  sin  is 
only  bounded  by  the  narrowness  of  our 
capacity.  His  text  was  Isa.  xli.  14.  18. 
The  mountains  &c.  He  said  were  unbe- 
lief, pride,  covetousness,  enmity,  &c.  &c.  &c. 
This  morning  I  took  a  walk  for  Aunt  as 
far  as  Mr.  Soley's.  I  called  at  Mrs  Whit- 
well's  &  found  the  good  man  &  lady  both 
better  than  when  I  saw  them  last.  On  my 
return  I  found  Mr.  Hunt  on  a  visit  to  aunt. 
After  the  usual  salutations  &  when  did  you 
hear  from  your  papa  &c.  I  ask'd  him  if  the 
blessing  pronounced  by  the  minister  before 
the  congregation  is  dismissed,  is  not  a  part 
of  the  publick  worship  ?    "  Yes." 

"  Why  then,  do  you  Sir,  say,  let  us  con- 
clude the  publick  worship  by  singing  ? " 
"Because  singing  is  the  last  act  in  which 
the  whole  congregation  is  unanimously  to 
join.  The  minister  in  Gods  name  blesses 
his  i.  e.  Gods  people  agreeable  to  the  prac- 
tice of  the  apostles,  who  generally  close  the 

epistles 


DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN  WINSLOW.      27 

epistles  with  a  benediction  in  the  name  of 
the  Trinity,  to  which,  Amen  is  subjoined, 
which,  tho'  pronounc'd  by  the  minister,  is, 
or  ought  to  be  the  sentiment  &  prayer  of 
the  whole  assembly,  the  meaning  whereof 
is,  So  be  it." 

Feb.  1 8th-  —  Another  ten  knot  skane  of 
my  yarn  was  reel'd  off  today.  Aunt  says 
it  is  very  good.  My  boils  &  whitloes  are 
growing  well  apace,  so  that  I  can  knit  a 
little  in  the  evening. 

Transcribed  from  the  Boston  Evening 
Post  : 

Sep.  18,  1 77 1.  Under  the  head  of  Lon- 
don news,  you  may  find  that  last  Thursday 
was  married  at  Worcester  the  Widow  Biddle 
of  Wellsburn  in  the  county  of  Warwick,  to 
her  grandson  John  Biddle  of  the  same  place, 
aged  twenty  three  years.  It  is  very  remark- 
able, the  widdow  had  one  son  &  one  daugh- 
ter;  18  grandchildren  &  5  great  grandchil- 
dren ;  her  present  husband  has  one  daughter, 
who  was  her  great  granddaughter  but  is  now 
become  her  daughter ;  her  other  great  grand- 
children are  become  her  cousins  ;  her  grand- 
children her  brothers  &  sisters ;  her  son  & 

daughter 


28      DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN  WINS  LOW. 

daughter  her  father  &  mother.  I  think  !  tis 
the  most  extraordinary  account  I  ever  read 
in  a  News-Paper.  It  will  serve  to  puzzel 
Harry  Bering  with. 

Monday  Feb.  i8th-  —  Bitter  cold.  I  am  just 
come  from  writing  school.  Last  Wednes- 
day P.  M.  while  I  was  at  school  Aunt  Storer 
called  in  to  see  Aunt  Deming  in  her  way  to 
Mr  Inches's.  She  walk'd  all  that  long  way. 
Thursday  last  I  din'd  &  spent  the  after- 
noon with  Aunt  Sukey.  I  attended  both  my 
schools  in  the  morning  of  that  day.  I  cal'd 
at  unkle  Joshua's  as  I  went  along,  as  I  gen- 
erally do,  when  I  go  in  town,  it  being  all  in 
my  way.  Saterday  I  din'd  at  Unkle  Storer' s, 
drank  tea  at  Cousin  Barrel's,  was  entertain' d 
in  the  afternoon  with  seating.  Unkle  Henry 
was  tfeere.  Yesterday  by  the  help  of  neigh- 
bor Soley's  Chaise,  I  was  at  meeting  all  day, 
tho'  it  snow'd  in  the  afternoon.  I  might 
have  say'd  I  was  at  Unkle  Winslow's  last 
Thursday  Eves  &  when  I  inform  you  that 
my  needle  work  at  school,  &  knitting  at 
home,  went  on  as  usual,  I  think  I  have  laid 
before  you  a  pretty  full  account  of  the  last 
week.  You  see  how  I  improve  in  my  writing, 
but  I  drive  on  as  fast  as  I  can.  Feb. 


DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN   WINS  LOW.      20, 

Feb.  21  i  This  day  Jack  Frost  bites 
Thursday. )  very  hard,  so  hard  aunt  won't 
let  me  go  to  any  school.  I  have  this  morn- 
ing made  part  of  a  coppy  with  the  very  pen 
I  have  now  in  my  hand,  writting  this  with. 
Yesterday  was  so  cold  there  was  a  very 
thick  vapor  upon  the  water,  but  I  attended 
my  schools  all  day.  My  unkle  says  yester- 
day was  10  degrees  colder  than  any  day  we 
have  had  before  this  winter.  And  my  aunt 
says  she  believes  this  day  is  10  degrees 
colder  than  it  was  yesterday ;  &  moreover, 
that  she  would  not  put  a  dog  out  of  doors. 
The  sun  gives  forth  his  rays  through  a 
vapor  like  that  which  was  upon  the  water 
yesterday.  But  Aunt  bids  me  give  her  love 
to  pappa  &  all  the  family  &  tell  them  that 
she  should  be  glad  of  their  company  in  her 
warm  parlour,  indeed  there  is  not  one  room 
in  this  house  but  is  very  warm  when  there 
is  a  good  fire  in  them.  As  there  is  in  this 
at  present.  Yesterday  I  got  leave  (by  my 
aunt's  desire)  to  go  from  school  at  4  o'clock 
to  see  my  unkle  Ned  who  has  had  the  mis- 
fortune to  break  his  leg.  I  call'd  in  to  warm 
myself  at  unkle  Joshua's.    Aur.t  Hannah  told 

me 


30     DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN  WINSLOW. 

me  I  had  better  not  go  any  further  for  she 
could  tell  me  all  about  him,  so  I  say'd  as  it 
is  so  cold  I  believe  aunt  won't  be  angry  so 
I  will  stay,  I  therefore  took  off  my  things, 
aunt  gave  me  leave  to  call  at  Unkle  Joshua's 
&  was  very  glad  I  went  no  further.  Aunt 
Hannah  told  me  he  was  as  well  as  could  be 
expected  for  one  that  has  a  broken  bone. 
He  was  coming  from  Watertown  in  a  chaise 
the  horse  fell  down  on  the  Hill,  this  side 
Mr  Brindley's.  he  was  afraid  if  he  fell  out, 
the  wheel  would  run  over  him,  he  therefore 
gave  a  start  &  fell  out  &  broke  his  leg,  the 
horse  strugled  to  get  up,  but  could  not. 
unkle  Ned  was  affraid  if  he  did  get  up  the 
chaise  wheels  would  run  over  him,  so  he 
went  on  his  two  hands  and  his  other  foot 
drawing  his  lame  leg  after  him  &  got  behind 
the  chaise,  (so  he  was  safe)  &  there  lay  in 
the  snow  for  some  time,  nobody  being  near, 
at  last  2  genteelmen  came,  they  tho't  the 
horse  was  dead  when  they  first  saw  him 
at  a  distance,  but  hearing  somebody  hollow, 
went  up  to  it.  By  this  time  there  was  a 
countraman  come  along,  the  person  that  hol- 
low'd  was  unkle  Ned.     They  got  a  slay  and 

put 


DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN  WINS  LOW.      3 1 

put  him  in  it  with  some  hay  and  a  blanket, 
wrapt  him  up  well  as  they  could  &  brought 
him  to  Deacon  Smith's  in  town.  Now  Papa 
&  Mamma,  this  hill  is  in  Brookline.  And 
now  again,  I  have  been  better  inform'd  for 
the  hill  is  in  Roxbury  &  poor  Unkle  Ned 
was  alone  in  the  chaise.  Both  bones  of  his 
leg  are  broke,  but  they  did  not  come  thro'  the 
skin,  which  is  a  happy  circumstance.  It  is 
his  right  leg  that  is  broke.  My  Grandmamma 
sent  Miss  Deming,  Miss  Winslow  &  I  one 
eight*  of  a  Dollar  a  piece  for  a  New  Years 
gift.  My  Aunt  Deming  &  Miss  Deming  had 
letters  from  Grandmamma.  She  was  pretty 
well,  she  wrote  aunt  that  Mrs  Marting  was 
brought  to  bed  with  a  son  Joshua  about  a 
month  since,  &  is  with  her  son  very  well. 
Grandmamma  was  very  well  last  week.  I 
have  made  the  purchase  I  told  you  of  a  few 
pages  agone,  that  is,  last  Thursday  I  pur- 
chas'd  with  my  aunt  Deming's  leave,  a  very 
beautiful  white  feather  hat,  that  is,  the  out 
side,  which  is  a  bit  of  white  hollond  with  the 
feathers  sew'd  on  in  a  most  curious  manner 
white  &  unsullyed  as  the  falling  snow,  this 
hat  I  have  long  been  saving  my  money  to 

procure 


32     DIARY  OF  ANNA    GREEN   WINS  LOW. 

procure  for  which  I  have  let  your  kind  allow- 
ance, Papa,  lay  in  my  aunt's  hands  till  this 
hat  which  I  spoke  for  was  brought  home. 
As  I  am  (as  we  say)  a  daughter  of  liberty49 
I  chuse  to  wear  as  much  of  our  own  manu- 
factory as  pocible.  But  my  aunt  says,  I 
have  wrote  this  account  very  badly.  I  will 
go  on  to  save  my  money  for  a  chip  &  a 
lineing  &c. 

Papa  I  rec'd  your  letter  dated  Jan.  1 1,  for 
which  I  thank  you,  Sir,  &  thank  you  greatly 
for  the  money  I  received  therewith.  I  am 
very  glad  to  hear  that  Brother  John  papa  & 
mamma  &  cousin  are  well.  I  '11  answer  your 
letter  papa  and  yours  mamma  and  cousin 
Harry's  too.  I  am  very  glad  mamma  your 
eyes  are  better.  I  hope  by  the  time  I  have 
the  pleasure  of  hearing  from  Cumberland 
again  your  eyes  will  be  so  well  that  you  will 
favor  me  with  one  from  you. 

Feb.  22d.  —  Since  about  the  middle  of  De- 
cember, ult.  we  have  had  till  this  week,  a 
series  of  cold  and  stormy  weather  —  every 
snow  storm  (of  which  we  have  had  abun- 
dance) except  the  first,  ended  with  rain,  by 
which  means  the  snow  was  so  hardened  that 

strong 


DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINS  LOW.        33 

strong  gales  at  N  W  soon  turned  it,  &  all 
above  ground  to  ice,  which  this  day  seven- 
night  was  from  one  to  three,  four  &  they 
say,  in  some  places,  five  feet  thick,  in  the 
streets  of  this  town.  Last  Saturday  morn- 
ing we  had  a  snow  storm  come  on,  which 
continued  till  four  o'clock  P.  M.  when  it 
turned  to  rain,  since  which  we  have  had  a 
warm  air,  with  many  showers  of  rain,  one 
this  morning  a  little  before  day  attended 
with  thunder.  The  streets  have  been  very 
wet,  the  water  running  like  rivers  all  this 
week,  so  that  I  could  not  possibly  go  to 
school,  neither  have  I  yet  got  the  bandage 
off  my  fingure.  Since  I  have  been  writing 
now,  the  wind  suddenly  sprung  up  at  N  W 
and  blew  with  violence  so  that  we  may  get  to 
meeting  to-morrow,  perhaps  on  dry  ground. 
Unkle  Ned  was  here  just  now  &  has  fairly 
or  unfairly  carried  off  aunt's  cut  paper  pic- 
tures,50 tho'  she  told  him  she  had  given 
them  to  papa  some  years  ago.  It  has  been 
a  very  sickly  time  here,  not  one  person  that 
I  know  of  but  has  been  under  heavy  colds 
—  (all  laid  up  at  unkle  Storer's)  in  general 
got  abroad  again.     Aunt  Suky  had  not  been 

down 


34        DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  W2NSL0W. 

down  stairs  since  her  lying  in,  when  I  last 
saw  her,  but  I  hear  she  is  got  down.  She 
has  had  a  broken  breast.  I  have  spun  30 
knots  of  linning  yarn,  and  (partly)  new  footed 
a  pair  of  stockings  for  Lucinda,  read  a  part 
of  the  pilgrim's  progress,  coppied  part  of  my 
text  journal  (that  if  I  live  a  few  years  longer, 
I  may  be  able  to  understand  it,  for  aunt  sais, 
that  to  her,  the  contents  as  I  first  mark'd 
them,  were  an  impenetrable  secret)  play'd 
some,  tuck'd  a  great  deal  (Aunt  Deming 
says  it  is  very  true)  laugh'd  enough,  &  I  tell 
aunt  it  is  all  human  nature,  if  not  human  rea- 
son. And  now,  I  wish  my  honored  mamma 
a  very  good  night. 

Saturday  )    Dear  Pappa,  do's  the  win- 

noon  Feb.  23d )  ter  continue  as  pleasant  at 
Cumberland  as  when  you  wrote  to  me  last  ? 
We  had  but  very  little  winter  here,  till  Feb- 
ruary came  in,  but  we  have  little  else  since. 
The  cold  still  continues  tho'  not  so  extreme 
as  it  was  last  Thursday.  I  have  attended 
my  schools  all  this  week  except  one  day,  and 
am  going  as  soon  as  I  have  din'd  to  see 
how  Unkle  Ned  does.  I  was  thinking,  Sir, 
to  lay  up  a  piece  of  money  you  sent  me,  but 

as 


GENERAL  JOSHUA  WINSLOW 


DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINS  LOW.       35 

as  you  sent  it  to  me  to  lay  out  I  have  a  mind 
to  buy  a  chip  &  linning  for  my  feather  hatt. 
But  my  aunt  says  she  will  think  of  it.  My 
aunt  says  if  I  behave  myself  very  well  in- 
deed, not  else,  she  will  give  me  a  garland  of 
flowers  to  orniment  it,  tho'  she  has  layd 
aside  the  biziness  of  flower  making.51 

Feb.  25th.  —  This  is  a  very  stormy  day  of 
snow,  hail  &  rain,  so  that  I  cannot  get  to 
Master  Holbrook's,  therefore  I  will  here  copy 
something  I  lately  transcribed  on  a  loose 
paper  from  Dr.  Owen's  sermon  on  Hab.  iii, 
1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9.  "I  have  heard  that 
a  full  wind  behind  the  ship  drives  her  not 
so  fast  forward,  as  a  side  wind,  that  seems 
almost  as  much  against  her  as  with  her ;  & 
the  reason  they  say  is,  because  a  full  wind 
fills  but  some  of  her  sails. 

Wednesday.  —  Very  cold,  but  this  morning 
I  was  at  sewing  and  writing  school,  this  after- 
noon all  sewing,  for  Master  Holbrook  does 
not  in  the  winter  keep  school  of  afternoons. 
Unkle  Henrys  feet  are  so  much  better  that 
he  wears  shoos  now. 

Monday 


36     DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINSLOW. 

Monday  "|  I  have  been  to  writing  school 
noon        I  this  morning  and  Sewing.    The 

Feb.  25th.  J  day  being  very  pleasant,  very 
little  wind  stirring.  Jemima  called  to  see 
me  last  evening.  She  lives  at  Master  Jimmy 
Lovel's.52  Dear  mamma,  I  suppose  that  you 
would  be  glad  to  hear  that  Betty  Smith  who 
has  given  you  so  much  trouble,  is  well  & 
behaves  herself  well  &  I  should  be  glad  if 
I  could  write  you  so.  But  the  truth  is,  no 
sooner  was  the  29th  Regiment  encamp' d 
upon  the  common  but  miss  Betty  took  her- 
self among  them  (as  the  Irish  say)  &  there 
she  stay'd  with  Bill  Pinchion  &  awhile.  The 
next  news  of  her  was,  that  she  was  got  into 
gaol  for  stealing :  from  whence  she  was 
taken  to  the  publick  whipping  post.53  The 
next  adventure  was  to  the  Castle,  after  the 
soldier's  were  remov'd  there,  for  the  murder 
of  the  5th  March  last.54  When  they  turn'd 
her  away  from  there,  she  came  up  to  town 
again,  and  soon  got  into  the  workhouse  for 
new  misdemeanours,  she  soon  ran  away  from 
there  and  sit  up  her  old  trade  of  pilfering 
again,  for  which  she  was  put  a  second  time 
into  gaol,  there  she    still  remains.     About 

two 


DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINS  LOW.     37 

two  months  agone  (as  well  as  I  can  remem- 
ber) she  &  a  number  of  her  wretched  com- 
panions set  the  gaol  on  fire,  in  order  to  get 
out,  but  the  fire  was  timely  discovered  & 
extinguished,  &  there,  as  I  said  she  still 
remains  till  this  day,  in  order  to  be  tried 
for  her  crimes.  I  heard  somebody  say  that 
as  she  has  some  connections  with  the  army 
no  doubt  but  she  would  be  cleared,  and  per- 
haps, have  a  pension  into  the  bargain.  Mr. 
Henry  says  the  way  of  sin  is  down  hill,  when 
persons  get  into  that  way  they  are  not  easily 
stopped. 

Feb.  27.  —  This  day  being  too  stormy  for 
me  to  go  to  any  school,  and  nothing  as  yet 
having  happen'd  that  is  worth  your  notice,  my 
aunt  gives  me  leave  to  communicate  to  you 
something  that  much  pleas'd  her  when  she 
heard  of  it,  &  which  I  hope  will  please  you 
my  Papa  and  Mamma.  I  believe  I  may 
have  inform'd  you  that  since  I  have  been  in 
Boston,  Dr.  Byles 55  has  pretty  frequently 
preached  &  sometimes  administer'd  the  sac- 
rament, when  our  Candidates  have  preached 
to  the  O.  S.  Church,  because  they  are  not 
tho't  qualified  to  administer  Gospel  Ordi- 
nance, 


38       DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINSLOW. 

nance,  till  they  be  settled  Pastours.  About 
two  months  ago  a  brother  of  the  church  sent 
Dr  Byles  a  Card  which  contain'd  after  the 
usual  introduction,  the  following  words,  Mr 

W dont   set    up    for    an    Expositor   of 

Scripture,  yet  ventures  to  send  Dr.  Byles  a 
short  comment  on  I  Cor.  ix.  n.  which  he 
thinks  agreeable  to  the  genuine  import  of  the 
text,  &  hopes  the  Dr  will  not  disapprove  it. 
The  comment  was  a  dozen  pounds  of  Choco- 
late &c.  —  To  which  the  Dr  return'd  the  fol- 
lowing very  pretty  answer.  Dr  Byles  returns 
respects  to  Mr  W  &  most  heartily  thanks 
him  for  his  judicious  practical  Familie  Ex- 
positer,  which  is  in  Tast.  My  aunt  Deming 
gives  her  love  to  you  mamma,  and  bids  me 
tell  you,  as  a  matter  you  will  be  very  glad  to 
know,  that  Dr  Byles  &  his  lady  &  family, 
have  enjoy' d  a  good  share  of  health  &  per- 
fect harmony  for  several  years  past. 

Mr  Beacon  is  come  home.  My  unkle 
Neddy  is  very  comfortable,  has  very  little 
pain,  &  know  fever  with  his  broken  bone. 
My  Unkle  Harry 56  was  here  yesterday  &  is 
very  well.  Poor  Mrs  Inches  is  dangerously 
ill  of  a  fever.  We  have  not  heard  how  she 
does  today.  March 


DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINS  LOW.       39 

March  4th.  —  Poor  Mrs  Inches  is  dead. 
Gone  from  a  world  of  trouble,  as  she  has 
left  this  to  her  poor  mother.  Aunt  says  she 
heartyly  pities  Mrs  Jackson.  Mr  Nat.  Be- 
thune  died  this  morning,  Mrs  Inches  last 
night. 

We  had  the  greatest  fall  of  snow  yester- 
day we  have  had  this  winter.  Yet  cousin 
Sally,  miss  Polly,  &  I  rode  to  &  from  meet- 
ing in  Mr  Soley's  chaise  both  forenoon  & 
afternoon,  &  with  a  stove57  was  very  com- 
fortable there.  If  brother  John  is  as  well 
and  hearty  as  cousin  Frank,  he  is  a  clever 
boy.  Unkle  Neddy  continues  very  comfort- 
able. I  saw  him  last  Saturday.  I  have  just 
now  been  writing  four  lines  in  my  Book  al- 
most as  well  as  the  copy.  But  all  the  in- 
treaties  in  the  world  will  not  prevail  upon 
me  to  do  always  as  well  as  I  can,  which  is 
not  the  least  trouble  to  me,  tho'  its  a  great 
grief  to  aunt  Deming.  And  she  says  by 
writing  so  frightfully  above. 

March  6.  —  I  think  the  appearance  this 
morning  is  as  winterish  as  any  I  can  remem- 
ber, earth,  houses,  trees,  all  covered  with 
snow,  which  began  to  fall  yesterday  morning 

& 


40       DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINS  LOW. 

&  continued  falling  all  last  night.  The  Sun 
now  shines  very  bright,  the  N.  W.  wind 
blows  very  fresh.  Mr  Gannett  din'd  here 
yesterday,  from  him,  my  unkle,  aunt  &  cousin 
Sally,  I  had  an  account  of  yesterday's  pub- 
lick  performances,58  &  exhibitions,  but  aunt 
says  I  need  not  write  about  'em  because, 
no  doubt  there  will  be  printed  accounts. 
I  should  have  been  glad  if  I  could  have  seen 
&  heard  for  myselfe.  My  face  is  better,  but 
I  have  got  a  heavy  cold  yet. 

March  9th.  —  After  being  confined  a  week, 
I  rode  yesterday  afternoon  to  &  from  meet- 
ing in  Mr  Soley's  chaise.  I  got  no  cold  and 
am  pretty  well  today.  This  has  been  a  very 
snowy  day  today.  Any  body  that  sees  this 
may  see  that  I  have  wrote  nonsense  but  Aunt 
says,  I  have  been  a  very  good  girl  to  day 
about  my  work  however —  I  think  this  day's 
work  may  be  called  a  piece  meal  for  in  the 
first  place  I  sew'd  on  the  bosom  of  unkle's 
shirt,  mended  two  pair  of  gloves,  mended  for 
the  wash  two  handkerchiefs,  (one  cambrick) 
sewed  on  half  a  border  of  a  lawn  apron 
of  aunts,  read  part  of  the  xxist  chapter  of 
Exodous,  &  a  story  in   the   Mother's    gift. 

Now, 


DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINS  LOW.       4 1 

Now,  Hond  Mamma,  I  must  tell  you  of  some- 
thing that  happened  to  me  to-day,  that  has 
not  happen' d  before  this  great  while,  viz  My 
Unkle  &  Aunt  both  told  me,  I  was  a  very 
good  girl.  Mr  Gannett  gave  us  the  favour 
of  his  company  a  little  while  this  morning 
(our  head).  I  have  been  writing  all  the 
above  gibberish  while  aunt  has  been  looking 
after  her  family  —  now  she  is  out  of  the  room 
—  now  she  is  in  —  &  takes  up  my  pen  in  my 
absence  to  observe,  I  am  a  little  simpleton 
for  informing  my  mamma,  that  it  is  a  great 
while  since  I  was  prais'd  because  she  will 
conclude  that  it  is  a  great  while  since  I  de- 
serv'd  to  be  prais'd.  I  will  henceforth  try 
to  observe  their  praise  &  yours  too.  I  mean 
deserve.  It's  now  tea  time  —  as  soon  as 
•  that  is  over,  I  shall  spend  the  rest  of  the 
evening  in  reading  to  my  aunt.  It  is  near 
candle  lighting. 

March  10,  5  o'clock  P.  M.  —  I  have  fin- 
ish'd  my  stent  of  sewing  work  for  this  day 
&  wrote  a  billet  to  Miss  Caty  Vans,  a  copy 
of  which  I  shall  write  on  the  next  page. 
To-morrow  if  the  weather  is  fit  I  am  to  visit. 
I  have  again  been  told  I  was  a  good  girl. 

My 


42       DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINSLOW. 

My  Billet  to  Miss  Vans  was  in  the  following 
words.  Miss  Green  gives  her  compliments 
to  Miss  Vans,  and  informs  her  that  her 
aunt  Deming  quite  misunderstood  the  mat- 
ter about  the  queen's  night-Cap.59  Mrs. 
Deming  thou't  that  it  was  a  black  skull  cap 
linn'd  with  red  that  Miss  Vans  ment  which 
she  thou't  would  not  be  becoming  to  Miss 
Green's  light  complexion.  Miss  Green  now 
takes  the  liberty  to  send  the  materials  for 
the  Cap  Miss  Vans  was  so  kind  as  to  say  she 
would  make  for  her,  which,  when  done,  she 
engages  to  take  special  care  of  for  Miss  Vans' 
sake.  Mrs.  Deming  joins  her  compliments 
with  Miss  Green's  —  they  both  wish  for  the 
pleasure  of  a  visit  from  Miss  Vans.  Miss 
Soley  is  just  come  in  to  visit  me  &  'tis  near 
dark. 

March  n.  —  Boast  not  thyself  of  tomor- 
row ;  for  thou  knowest  not  what  a  day  may 
bring  forth.  Thus  king  Solomon,  inspired 
by  the  Holy  Ghost,  cautions,  Pro.  xxvii.  I. 
My  aunt  says,  this  is  a  most  necessary  lesson 
to  be  learn 'd  &  laid  up  in  the  heart.  I  am 
quite  of  her  mind.  I  have  met  with  a  dis- 
appointment to  day,  &  aunt  says,  I  may  look 

for 


DIARY  OF  ANNA   GREEN  WINSLOW.       43 

for  them  every  day —  we  live  in  a  changing 
world — in  scripture  call'd  a  vale  of  tears. 
Uncle  said  yesterday  that  there  had  not  been 
so  much  snow  on  the  ground  this  winter  as 
there  was  then  —  it  has  been  vastly  added 
to  since  then,  &  is  now  7  feet  deep  in  some 
places  round  this  house  ;  it  is  above  the  fence 
in  the  coart  &  thick  snow  began  to  fall  and 
condtinu'd  till  about  5  o'clock  P.  M.  (it  is 
about  1-4  past  8  o'clock)  since  which  there 
has  been  a  steady  rain  —  so  no  visiting  as  I 
hoped  this  day,  &  this  is  the  disappointment 
I  mentioned  on  t'other  page.  Last  Saturday 
I  sent  my  cousin  Betsy  Storer  a  Billet  of 
which  the  following  is  a  copy.  Miss  Green 
gives  her  love  to  Miss  Storer  &  informs 
her  that  she  is  very  sensible  of  the  effects 
of  a  bad  cold,  not  only  in  the  pain  she  has 
had  in  her  throat,  neck  and  face,  which  have 
been  much  swell'd  &  which  she  is  not  quite 
clear  of,  but  that  she  has  also  been  by  the 
same  depriv'd  of  the  pleasure  of  seeing 
Miss  Storer  &  her  other  friends  in  Sudbury 
Street.  She  begs,  her  Duty,  Love  &  Com- 
pliments, may  be  presented  as  due  &  that 
she  may  be  inform'd  if  they  be  in  health. 

To 


44       DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINSLOW. 

To  this  I  have  receiv'd  no  answer.  I  sup- 
pose she  don't  think  I  am  worth  an  answer. 
But  I  have  finished  my  stent,  and  wrote  all 
under  this  date,  &  now  I  have  just  daylight 
eno'  to  add,  my  love  and  duty  to  dear  friends 
at  Cumberland. 

March  14.  —  Mr.  Stephen  March,  at  whose 
house  I  was  treated  so  kindly  last  fall,  de- 
parted this  life  last  week,  after  languishing 
several  months  under  a  complication  of  dis- 
orders —  we  have  not  had  perticulars,  there- 
fore cannot  inform  you,  whether  he  engag'd 
the  King  of  terrors  with  christian  fortitude, 
or  otherwise. 

"  Stoop  down  my  Thoughts,  that  use  to  rise, 
Converse  a  while  with  Death  ; 
Think  how  a  gasping  Mortal  lies, 
And  pants  away  his  Breath." 

Last  Thursday  I  din'd  with  unkle  Storer, 
&  family  at  aunt  Sukey's  —  all  well  except 
Charles  Storer  who  was  not  so  ill  but  what, 
that  I  mean,  he  din'd  with  us.  Aunt  Suky's 
Charles  is  a  pretty  little  boy  &  grows  nicely. 
We  were  diverted  in  the  afternoon  with  an 
account  of  a  queer  Feast  that  had  been  made 
that  day  in  a  certain  Court  of  this  town  for 

the 


EBENEZER   STORER 


DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINS  LOW.       45 

the  Entertainment  of  a  number  of  Tories  — 
perhaps  seventeen.  One  contain'd  three 
calves  heads  (skin  off)  with  their  appurti- 
nencies  anciently  call'd  pluck  —  Their  other 
dish  (for  they  had  but  two)  contain'd  a  num- 
ber of  roast  fowls  —  half  a  dozen,  we  sup- 
pose,* &  all  roosters  at  this  season  no  doubt. 
Yesterday,  soon  after  I  came  from  writing 
school  we  had  another  snow  storm  begun, 
which  continued  till  after  I  went  to  bed. 
This  morning  the  sun  shines  clear  (so  it  did 
yesterday  morning  till  10  o'clock.)  It  is  now 
bitter  cold,  &  such  a  quantity  of  snow  upon 
the  ground,  as  the  Old  people  don't  remember 
ever  to  have  seen  before  at  this  time  of  the 
year.  My  aunt  Deming  says,  when  she  first 
look'd  abroad  this  morning  she  felt  anxious 
for  her  brother,  &  his  family  at  Cumberland, 
fearing  lest  they  were  covered  up  in  snow. 
It  is  now  1-2  after  12  o'clock  noon.  The 
sun  has  been  shineing  in  his  full  strength 
for  full  6  hours,  &  the  snow  not  melted 
enough  anywhere  in  sight  of  this  house,  to 
cause  one  drop  of  water. 

March    17.  —  Yesterday,    I   went    to   see 

aunt 

*  There  was  six  as  I  have  since  heard. 


46       DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINSLOW. 

aunt  Polly,  &  finding  her  going  out,  I  spent 
the  afternoon  with  aunt  Hannah.  While  I 
was  out,  a  snow  storm  overtook  me.  This 
being  a  fine  sun  shine  (tho'  cold)  day  I  have 
been  to  writing  school,  &  wrote  two  pieces, 
one  I  presented  to  aunt  Deming,  and  the 
other  I  design  for  my  Honor'd  Papa,  I  hope 
he  will  approve  of  it.  I  sent  a  piece  of  my 
writing  to  you  Hon'd  Mamma  last  fall,  which 
I  hope  you  receiv'd.  When  my  aunt  Deming 
was  a  little  girl  my  Grandmamma  Sargent 
told  her  the  following  story  viz.  One  Mr. 
Calf  who  had  three  times  enjoy 'd  the  May- 
oralty of  the  city  of  London,  had  after  his 
decease,  a  monoment  erected  to  his  memory 
with  the  following  inscription  on  it. 

Here  lies  buried  the  body  of 
Sir  Richard  Calf,  1 

Thrice  Lord  Mayor  of  London. 
Honor,  Honor,  Honor. 

A  drol  gentleman  passing  by  with  a  bit  of 
chalk  in  his  hand  underwrote  thus  — 

O  cruel  death  !  more  subtle  than  a  Fox 
That  would  not  let  this  Calf  become  an  Ox, 
That  he  might  browze  among  the  briers  &  thorns 
And  with  his  brethren  wear, 
Horns.  Horns.  Horns. 

My 


DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINS  LOW.       47 

My  aunt  told  me  the  foregoing  some  time 
since  &  today  I  ask'd  her  leave  to  insert  it  in 
my  journal.  My  aunt  gives  her  love  to  you 
&  directs  me  to  tell  you  that  she  tho't  my 
piece  of  linnin  would  have  made  me  a  dozen 
of  shifts  but  she  could  cut  no  more  than  ten 
out  of  it.  There  is  some  left,  but  not  enough 
for  another.  Nine  of  them  are  finish'd 
wash'd  &  iron'd  ;  &  the  other  would  have 
been  long  since  done  if  my  fingers  had  not 
been  sore.  My  cousin  Sally  made  three  of 
them  for  me,  but  then  I  made  two  shirts  & 
part  of  another  for  unkle  to  help  her.  I 
believe  unless  something  remarkable  should 
happen,  such  as  a  warm  day,  my  mamma 
will  consent  that  I  dedicate  a  few  of  my  next 
essays  to  papa.  I  think  the  second  thing  I 
said  to  aunt  this  morning  was,  that  I  intended 
to  be  very  good  all  day.     To  make  this  out, 

"  Next  unto  God,  dear  Parents  I  address 
Myself  to  you  in  humble  Thankfulness, 
"  For  all  your  Care  &  Charge  on  me  bestow'd; 
"  The  means  of  Learning  unto  me  allow' d, 
"  Go  on  I  pray,  &  let  me  still  pursue 
"  Those  Golden  Arts  the  Vulgar  never  knew." 

Yr  Dutifull  Daughter 

Anna  Green  Winslow. 

The 


48       DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINSLOW. 

The  poetry  I  transcrib'd  from  my  Copy 
Book. 

March  19. — Thursday  last  I  spent  at  home, 
except  a  quarter  of  an  hour  between  sun- 
set and  dark,  I  stepped  over  the  way  to  Mr. 
Glover's  with  aunt.  Yesterday  I  spent  at 
Unkle  Neddy's  &  stitched  wristbands  for 
aunt  Polly.  By  the  way,  I  must  inform  you, 
(pray  dont  let  papa  see  this)  that  yesterday 
I  put  on  No  1  of  my  new  shifts,  &  indeed  it 
is  very  comfortable.  It  is  long  since  I  had 
a  shift  to  my  back.  I  dont  know  if  I  ever 
had  till  now  —  It  seem'd  so  strange  too,  to 
have  any  linen  below  my  waist  —  I  am  going 
to  dine  at  Mrs.  Whitwell's  to  day,  by  invita- 
tion. I  spent  last  evening  at  Mrs  Rogers. 
Mr  Hunt  discoursed  upon  the  doctrine  of 
the  Trinity  —  it  was  the  second  time  that  he 
spoke  upon  the  subject  at  that  place.  I  did 
not  hear  him  the  first  time.  His  business 
last  eve?  was  to  prove  the  divinity  of  the  Son, 
&  holy  Ghost,  &  their  equality  with  the 
Father.  My  aunt  Deming  says,  it  is  a  grief 
to  her,  that  I  don't  always  write  as  well  as  I 
can,  I  can  zurite  pretily. 

March  21.  —  I  din'd  &  spent  the  afternoon 

of 


DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINS  LOW.       49 

of  Thursday  last,  at  Mrs  Whit  well's.  Mrs 
Lathrop,  &  Mrs  Carpenter  din'd  there  also. 
The  latter  said  she  was  formerly  acquainted 
with  mamma,  ask'd  how  she  did,  &  when  I 
heard  from  her,  —  said,  I  look'd  much  like 
her.  Madam  Harris  &  Miss  P.  Vans  were 
also  of  the  company.  While  I  was  abroad 
the  snow  melted  to  such  a  degree,  that  my 
aunt  was  oblig'd  to  get  Mr  Soley's  chaise  to 
bring  me  home.  Yesterday,  we  had  by  far 
the  gratest  storm  of  wind  &  snow  that  there 
has  been  this  winter.  It  began  to  fall  yes- 
terday morning  &  continued  falling  till  after 
our  family  were  in  bed.  (P.  M.)  Mr.  Hunt 
call'd  in  to  visit  us  just  after  we  rose  from 
diner ;  he  ask'd  me,  whether  I  had  heard 
from  my  papa  &  mamma,  since  I  wrote  'em. 
He  was  answer'd,  no  sir,  it  would  be  strange 
if  I  had,  because  I  had  been  writing  to  'em 
today,  &  indeed  so  I  did  every  day.  Aunt 
told  him  that  his  name  went  frequently  into 
my  journals  together  with  broken  &  some 
times  whole  sentences  of  his  sermons,  con- 
versations &c.  He  laugh'd  &  call'd  me  News- 
monger, &  said  I  was  a  daily  advertiser.  He 
added,  that  he  did  not  doubt  but  my  journals 

afforded 


50       DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINS  LOW. 

afforded  much  entertainment  &  would  be  a 
future  benefit  &c.  Here  is  a  fine  compliment 
for  me  mamma. 

March  26.  — Yesterday  at  6  o'clock,  I  went 
to  Unkle  Winslow's,  their  neighbor  Green- 
leaf  was  their.  She  said  she  knew  Mamma, 
&  that  I  look  like  her.  Speaking  about  papa 
&  you  occation'd  Unkle  Winslow  to  tell  me 
-  that  he  had  kiss'd  you  long  before  papa 
knew  you.  From  thence  we  went  to  Miss 
Rogers's  where,  to  a  full  assembly  Mr  Bacon 
read  his  3d  sermon  on  R.  iv.  6,  I  can  re- 
member he  said,  that,  before  we  all  sinned 
in  Adam  our  father,  Christ  loved  us.  He 
said  the  Son  of  God  always  did  as  his  father 
gave  him  commandment,  &  to  prove  this,  he 
said,  that  above  17  hundred  years  ago  he  left 
the  bosom  of  the  Father,  &  came  &  took  up 
his  abode  with  men,  &  bore  all  the  scourg- 
ings  &  buffetings  which  the  vile  Jews  in- 
flicted on  him,  &  then  was  hung  upon  the 
accursed  tree  —  he  died,  was  buried,  &  in 
three  days  rose  again  —  ascended  up  to 
heaven  &  there  took  his  seat  at  the  right 
hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high  from  whence 
he  will  come  to  be  the  supream  and  impartial 

judge 


DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINS  LOW.       5  I 

judge  of  quick  &  dead  —  and  when  his  poor 
Mother  &  her  poor  husband  went  to  Jerusa- 
lem to  keep  the  passover  &  he  went  with 
them,  he  disputed  among  the  doctors,  & 
when  his  Mother  ask'd  him  about  it  he 
said  "  wist  ye  not  that  I  must  be  about  my 
Father's  business,"  —  all  this  he  said  was  a 
part  of  that  wrighteousness  for  the  sake  of 
which  a  sinner  is  justafied  —  Aunt  has  been 
up  stairs  all  the  time  I  have  been  writeing  & 
recollecting  this  —  so  no  help  from  her.  She 
is  come  down  now  &  I  have  been  reading 
this  over  to  her.  She  sais,  she  is  glad  I  re- 
member so  much,  but  I  have  not  done  the 
subject  justice.  She  sais  I  have  blended 
things  somewhat  improperly  —  an  interup- 
tion  by  company. 

March  28.  —  Unkle  Harry  was  here  last 
evening  &  inform'd  us  that  by  a  vessel  from 
Halifax  which  arriv'd  yesterday,  Mr  H  New- 
ton, inform'd  his  brother  Mr  J  Newton  of 
the  sudden  death  of  their  brother  Hibbert 
in  your  family  21  January  ult.  (Just  five 
months  to  a  day  since  Grandmamma  Sar- 
gent's death.)  With  all  the  circumstances 
relating  to  it.     My  aunt  Deming  gives  her 

love 


52       DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINSLOW. 

love  to  Mamma  &  wishes  her  a  sanctified 
improvement  of  all  God's  dealings  with  her, 
&  that  it  would  please  him  to  bring  her  &  all 
the  family  safe  to  Boston.  Jarvis  is  put  up 
for  Cumberland,  we  hope  he  will  be  there  by 
or  before  Mayday.  This  minute  I  have  re- 
ceiv'd  my  queen's  night  cap  from  Miss  Caty 
Vans  —  we  like  it.  Aunt  says,  that  if  the 
materials  it  is  made  of  were  more  substantial 
than  gauze,  it  might  serve  occationally  to 
hold  any  thing  mesur'd  by  an  1-2  peck,  but  it 
is  just  as  it  should  be,  &  very  decent,  &  she 
wishes  my  writing  was  as  decent.  But  I  got 
into  one  of  my  frolicks,  upon  sight  of  the  Cap. 
April  1st.  —  Will  you  be  offended  mamma, 
if  I  ask  you,  if  you  remember  the  flock  of  wild 
Geese  that  papa  call'd  you  to  see  flying  over 
the  Blacksmith's  shop  this  day  three  years  ? 
I  hope  not ;  I  only  mean  to  divert  you.  The 
snow  is  near  gone  in  the  street  before  us, 
&  mud  supplys  the  place  thereof ;  After  a 
week's  absence,  I  this  day  attended  Master 
Holbrook  with  some  difficulty,  what  was  last 
week  a  pond  is  to-day  a  quag,  thro'  which  I 
got  safe  however,  &  if  aunt  *  had  known  it 

was 

*  Miss  Green  tells  her  aunt,  that  the  word  refer'd  to  be- 
gins with  a  dipthong. 


D1AR  V  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINSL  OW      53 

was  so  bad,  she  sais  she  would  not  have  sent 
me,  but  I  neither  wet  my  feet,  nor  drabled 
my  clothes,  indeed  I  have  but  one  garment 
that  I  could  contrive  to  drabble. 

N.  B.     It  is  1  April. 

April  3.  —  Yesterday  was  the  annual  Fast, 
&  I  was  at  meeting  all  day.  Mr  Hunt 
preach'd  A.  M.  from  Zac.  vii.  4,  5,  6,  7.  He 
said,  that  if  we  did  not  mean  as  we  said  in 
pray's  it  was  only  a  compliment  put  upon 
God,  which  was  a  high  affront  to  his  divine 
Majesty.  Mr  Bacon,  P.  M.  from  James  v. 
17.  He  said,  "pray's,  effectual  &  fervent, 
might  be,  where  there  were  no  words,  but 
there  might  be  elegant  words  where  there  is 
no  prayr's.  The  essence  of  pray's  consists  in 
offering  up  holy  desires  to  God  agreeable  to 
his  will,  —  it  is  the  flowing  out  of  gracious 
affections  —  what  then  are  the  pray'rs  of  an 
unrenewed  heart  that  is  full  of  enmity  to 
God  ?  doubtless  they  are  an  abomination  to 
him.  What  then,  must  not  unregenerate 
men  pray?  I  answer,  it  is  their  duty  to 
breathe  out  holy  desires  to  God  in  pray's. 
Prayer  is  a  natural  duty.  Hannah  pour'd 
out  her  soul  before  the  Lord,  yet  her  voice 

was 


54       DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINS  LOW. 

was  not  heard,  only  her  lips  moved.  Some 
grieve  and  complain  that  their  pray's  are  not 
answered,  but  if  thy  will  be  done  is,  as  it 
ought  to  be,  in  every  prayer ;  their  prayers 
are  answer' d." 

The  wind  was  high  at  N.  E.  all  day  yester- 
day, but  nothing  fell  from  the  dark  clouds 
that  overspread  the  heavens,  till  8  o'clock 
last  evening,  when  a  snow  began  which  has 
continued  falling  ever  since.  The  bell  being 
now  ringing  for  I  o'clock  P.  M.  &  no  sign  of 
abatement. 

My  aunt  Deming  says,  that  if  my  memory 
had  been  equal  to  the  memory  of  some  of  my 
ancestors,  I  might  have  done  better  justice 
to  Mr.  Bacon's  good  sermon,  &  that  if  hers 
had  been  better  than  mine  she  would  have 
helped  me.  Mr  Bacon  did  say  what  is  here 
recorded,  but  in  other  method. 

April  6.  —  I  made  a  shift  to  walk  to  meet- 
ing yesterday  morning.  But  there  was  so 
much  water  in  the  streets  when  I  came  home 
from  meeting  that  I  got  a  seat  in  Mr  Waleses 
chaise.  My  aunt  walk'd  home  &  she  sais 
thro'  more  difaculty  than  ever  she  did  in 
her  life  before.     Indeed  had  the  stream  get 

up 


DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINSLOW.       55 

up  from  our  meeting  house  as  it  did  down, 
we  might  have  taken  boat  as  we  have  talk'd 
some  times  of  doing  to  cross  the  street  to 
our  oposite  neighbor  Soleys  chaise.  I  re- 
member some  of  Mr  Hunts  sermon,  how 
much  will  appear  in  my  text  journal. 

April  7.  —  I  visited  yesterday  P.  M.  with 
my  aunt  at  Mr  Waldron's.  This  afternoon  I 
am  going  with  my  aunt  to  visit  Mrs  Salis- 
bury who  is  Dr  Sewall's  granddaughter,  I 
expect  Miss  Patty  Waldow  will  meet  me 
there.  It  is  but  a  little  way  &  we  can  now 
thro'  favour  cross  the  street  without  the 
help  of  a  boat.  I  saw  Miss  Polly  Vans  this 
morning.  She  gives  her  love  to  you.  As 
she  always  does  whenever  I  see  her.  Aunt 
Deming  is  this  minute  come  into  the  room, 
&  from  what  her  niece  has  wrote  last,  takes 
the  liberty  to  remind  you,  that  Miss  Vans 
is  a  sister  of  the  Old  South  Church,  a  soci- 
ety remarkable  for  Love.  Aunt  Deming  is 
sorry  she  has  spoil'd  the  look  of  this  page 
by  her  carelessness  &  hopes  her  niece  will 
mend  its  appearance  in  what  follows.  She 
wishes  my  English  had  been  better,  but  has 
not  time  to  correct  more  than  one  word. 

April 


$6        DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINSLOW. 

April  9. — We  made  the  visit  refer'd  to 
above.  The  company  was  old  Mrs  Salis- 
bury,60 Mrs  Hill,  (Mrs  Salisbury's  sister  she 
was  Miss  Hannah  Sewall  &  is  married  to 
young  Mr  James  Hill  that  us'd  to  live  in 
this  house)  Miss  Sally  Hill,  Miss  Polly  Bel- 
cher Lyde,  Miss  Caty  Sewall,  My  Aunt  & 
myself.  Yesterday  afternoon  I  visited  Miss 
Polly  Deming  &  took  her  with  me  to  Mr 
Rogers'  in  the  evening  where  Mr  Hunt  dis- 
cours'd  upon  the  7th  question  of  the  cate- 
chism viz  what  are  the  decrees  of  God  ?  I 
remember  a  good  many  of  his  observations, 
which  I  have  got  set  down  on  a  loose  paper. 
But  my  aunt  says  that  a  Miss  of  12  year's 
old  cant  possibly  do  justice  to  the  nicest 
subject  in  Divinity,  &  therefore  had  better 
not  attempt  a  repetition  of  perticulars,  that 
she  finds  lie  (as  may  be  easily  concluded) 
somewhat  confused  in  my  young  mind.  She 
also  says,  that  in  her  poor  judgment,  Mr 
Hunt  discours'd  soundly  as  well  as  ingen- 
iously upon  the  subject,  &  very  much  to 
her  instruction  &  satisfaction.  My  Papa  in- 
form'd  me  in  his  last  letter  that  he  had  done 
me  the  honor  to  read  my  journals  &  that  he 

approv'd 


DIAR  Y  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINSL  OW.       57 

approv'd  of  some  part  of  them,  I  suppose  he 
means  that  he  likes  some  parts  better  than 
other,  indeed  it  would  be  wonderful,  as  aunt 
says,  if  a  gentleman  of  papa's  understanding 
&  judgment  cou'd  be  highly  entertain'd  with 
every  little  saying  or  observation  that  came 
from  a  girl  of  my  years  &  that  I  ought  to 
esteem  it  a  great  favour  that  he  notices  any 
of  my  simple  matter  with  his  approbation, 

April  13th-  —  Yesterday  I  walk'd  to  meet- 
ing all  day,  the  ground  very  dry,  &  when 
I  came  home  from  meeting  in  the  after- 
noon the  Dust  blew  so  that  it  almost  put  my 
eyes  out.  What  a  difference  in  the  space 
of  a  week.  I  was  just  going  out  to  writing 
school,  but  a  slight  rain  prevented  so  aunt 
says  I  must  make  up  by  writing  well  at 
home.  Since  I  have  been  writing  the  rain 
is  turn'd  to  snow,  which  is  now  falling  in 
a  thick  shower.  I  have  now  before  me, 
hon«?  Mamma,  your  favor  dated  January  3. 
I  am  glad  you  alter' d  your  mind  when  you 
at  first  thought  not  to  write  to  me.  I  am 
glad  my  brother  made  an  essay  for  a  Post 
Script  to  your  Letter.  I  must  get  him  to 
read  it  to  me,  when  he  comes  up,  for  two 

reasons 


58       DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINSLOW. 

reasons,  the  one  is  because  I  may  have  the 
pleasure  of  hearing  his  voice,  the  other  be- 
cause I  don't  understand  his  characters.  I 
observe  that  he  is  mamma's  "  Ducky  Dar- 
ling." I  never  again  shall  believe  that  Mrs 
Huston  will  come  up  to  Boston  till  I  see 
her  here.  I  shall  be  very  glad  to  see  Mrs 
Law  here  &  I  have  some  hopes  of  it.  Mr 
Gannett  and  the  things  you  sent  by  him  we 
safely  receiv'd  before  I  got  your  Letter  — 
you  say  "you  see  I  am  still  a  great  house- 
keeper," I  think  more  so  than  when  I  was 
with  you.  Truly  I  answer'd  Mr  Law's  let- 
ter as  soon  as  I  found  opportunity  therefor. 
I  shall  be  very  glad  to  see  Miss  Jenny  here 
&  I  wish  she  could  live  with  me.  I  hope 
you  will  answer  this  "viva  vosa"  as  you 
say  you  intend  to.  Pray  mamma  who  larnt 
you  lattan  ?  It  now  rains  fast,  but  the  sun 
shines,  &  I  am  glad  to  see  it,  because  if  it 
continues  I  am  going  abroad  with  aunt  this 
afternoon. 

April  14th.  —  I  went  a  visiting  yesterday 
to  Col.  Gridley's  with  my  aunt.  After  tea 
Miss  Becky  Gridley  sung  a  minuet.  Miss 
Polly  Deming  &  I  danced  to   her   musick, 

which 


DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINS  LOW.        59 

which  when  perform'd  was  approv'd  of  by- 
Mrs  Gridley,  Mrs  Deming,  Mrs  Thompson, 
Mrs  Avery,61  Miss  Sally  Hill,  Miss  Becky 
Gridley,  Miss  Polly  Gridley  &  Miss  Sally 
Winslow.  Coln  Gridley  was  out  o'  the  room. 
Coln  brought  in  the  talk  of  Whigs  &  Tories 
&  taught  me  the  difference  between  them. 
I  spent  last  evening  at  home.  I  should  have 
gone  a  visiting  to  day  in  sudbury  street,  but 
Unkle  Harry  told  me  last  night  that  they 
would  be  full  of  company.  I  had  the  plea- 
sure of  hearing  by  him,  that  they  were  all 
well.  I  believe  I  shall  go  somewhere  this 
afternoon  for  I  have  acquaintances  enough 
that  would  be  very  glad  to  see  me,,  as  well 
as  my  sudbury  street  friends. 

April  15th.  —  Yesterday  I  din'd  at  Mrs. 
Whitwell's  &  she  being  going  abroad,  I 
spent  the  afternoon  at  Madm  Harris's  &  the 
evening  at  home,  Unkle  Harry  gave  us  his 
company  some  part  of  it.  I  am  going  to 
Aunt  Storer's  as  soon  as  writing  school  is 
done.  I  shall  dine  with  her,  if  she  is  not 
engaged.  It  is  a  long  time  since  I  was  there, 
&  indeed  it  is  a  long  time  since  I  have  been 
able  to  get  there.     For  tho'  the  walking  has 

been 


60       DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINSLOW. 

been  pretty  tolerable  at  the  South  End,  it 
has  been  intolerable  down  in  town.  And 
indeed  till  yesterday,  it  has  been  such  bad 
walking,  that  I  could  not  get  there  on  my 
feet.  If  she  had  wanted  much  to  have  seen 
me,  she  might  have  sent  either  one  of  her 
chaises,  her  chariot,  or  her  babyhutt,62  one 
of  which  I  see  going  by  the  door  almost 
every  day. 

April  1 6th.  —  I  dined  with  Aunt  Storer 
yesterday  &  spent  the  afternoon  very  agree- 
ably at  Aunt  Suky's.  Aunt  Storer  is  not 
very  well,  but  she  drank  tea  with  us,  & 
went  down  to  Mr  Stillman's  lecture  in  the 
evening.  I  spent  the  evening  with  Unkle  & 
Aunt  at  Mrs  Rogers's.  Mr  Bacon  preach'd 
his  fourth  sermon  from  Romans  iv.  6.  My 
cousin  Charles  Storer  lent  me  Gulliver's 
Travels  abreviated,  which  aunt  says  I  may 
read  for  the  sake  of  perfecting  myself  in 
reading  a  variety  of  composures,  she  sais 
farther  that  the  piece  was  desin'd  as  a  bur- 
lesque upon  the  times  in  which  it  was  wrote, 
—  &  Martimas  Scriblensis  &  Pope  Dunciad 
were  wrote  with  the  same  design  &  as  parts 
of  the  same  work,  tho'  wrote  by  three  sev- 
eral hands.  April 


DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINSLOW.       6 1 

April  17th. — You  see,  Mamma,  I  comply 
with  your  orders  (or  at  least  have  done  fa- 
ther's some  time  past)  of  writing  in  my  jour- 
nal every  day  tho'  my  matters  are  of  little 
importance  &  I  have  nothing  at  present  to 
communicate  except  that  I  spent  yesterday 
afternoon  &  evening  at  Mr  Soley's.  The 
day  was  very  rainy.  I  hope  I  shall  at  least 
learn  to  spell  the  word  yesterday,  it  having 
occur'd  so  frequently  in  these  pages  !  (The 
bell  is  ringing  for  good  friday.)  Last  even- 
ing aunt  had  a  letter  from  Unkle  Pierce,  he 
informs  her,  that  last  Lords  day  morning 
Mrs  Martin  was  deliver'd  of  a  daughter. 
She  had  been  siezed  the  Monday  before  with 
a  violent  pluritick  fever,  which  continued 
when  my  Unkle's  letter  was  dated  13th  in- 
stant. My  Aunt  Deming  is  affraid  that  poor 
Mrs  Martin  is  no  more.  She  hopes  she  is 
reconcil'd  to  her  father  —  but  is  affraid 
whether  that  was  so  —  She  had  try'd  what 
was  to  be  done  that  way  on  her  late  visits 
to  Portsmouth,  &  found  my  unkle  was  pla- 
cably dispos'd,  poor  Mrs  Martin,  she  could 
not  then  be  brought  to  make  any  acknowl- 
edgements as  she  ought  to  have  done. 

April 


62       DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINSLOW. 

April  18th.  —  Some  time  since  I  exchang'd 
a  piece  of  patchwork,  which  had  been  wrought 
in  my  leisure  intervals,  with  Miss  Peggy 
Phillips,63  my  schoolmate,  for  a  pair  of  curi- 
ous lace  mitts  with  blue  flaps  which  I  shall 
send,  with  a  yard  of  white  ribbin  edg'd  with 
green  to  Miss  Nancy  Macky  for  a  present. 
I  had  intended  that  the  patchwork  should 
have  grown  large  enough  to  have  cover' d 
a  bed  when  that  same  live  stock  which 
you  wrote  me  about  some  time  since, 
should  be  increas'd  to  that  portion  you  in- 
tend to  bestow  upon  me,  should  a  certain 
event  take  place.  I  have  just  now  finish'd 
my  Letter  to  Papa.  I  had  wrote  to  my 
other  correspondents  at  Cumberland,  some 
time  ago,  all  which  with  this  I  wish  safe  to 
your  &  their  hand.  I  have  been  carefull  not 
to  repeat  in  my  journal  any  thing  that  I  had 
wrote  in  a  Letter  either  to  papa,  you,  &c. 
Else  I  should  have  inform'd  you  of  some  of 
Bet  Smith's  abominations  with  the  deserv'd 
punishment  she  is  soon  to  meet  with.  But 
I  have  wrote  it  to  papa,  so  need  not  repeat. 
I  guess  when  this  reaches  you,  you  will  be 
too  much  engag'd  in  preparing  to  quit  your 

present 


DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINSLOW.       6$ 

present  habitation,  &  will  have  too  much 
upon  your  head  &  hands,  to  pay  much  at- 
tention to  this  scrowl.  But  it  may  be  an 
amusement  to  you  on  your  voyage  —  there- 
fore I  send  it. 

Pray  mamma,  be  so  kind  as  to  bring  up 
all  my  journal  with  you.  My  Papa  has  prom- 
ised me,  he  will  bring  up  my  baby  house  with 
him.  I  shall  send  you  a  droll  figure  of  a 
young  lady,64  in  or  under,  which  you  please, 
a  tasty  head  Dress.  It  was  taken  from  a 
print  that  came  over  in  one  of  the  last  ships 
from  London.  After  you  have  sufficiently 
amused  yourself  with  it  I  am  willing  .  .  . 

Boston  April  20,  1772.  —  Last  Saterday  I 
seal'd  up  45  pages  of  Journal  for  Cumber- 
land. This  is  a  very  stormy  day  —  no  going 
to  school.     I  am  learning  to  knit  lace. 

April  21.  —  Visited  at  uncle  Joshua 
Green's.  I  saw  three  funerals  from  their 
window,  poor  Capn  Turner's  was  one. 

April  22d.  —  I  spent  this  evening  at  Miss 
Rogers  as  usual.  Mr.  Hunt  continued  his 
discourse  upon  the  7th  question  of  the  cate- 
chism &  flnish'd  what  he  had  to  say  upon  it. 

April  23d.  —  This  morns  early  our  Mr  Ba- 
con 


64        DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINSLOW. 

con  set  out  upon  a  tour  to  Maryland,  he  pro- 
posed to  be  absent  8  weeks.  He  told  the 
Church  that  brother  Hunt  would  supply  the 
pulpit  till  his  return.  I  made  a  visit  this 
afternoon  with  cousin  Sally  at  Dr.  Phillip's. 

April  24th.  —  I  drank  tea  at  Aunt  Suky's. 
Aunt  Storer  was  there,  she  seemed  to  be  in 
charming  good  health  &  spirits.  My  cousin 
Charles  Green  seems  to  grow  a  little  fat 
pritty  boy  but  he  is  very  light.  My  aunt 
Storer  lent  me  3  of  cousin  Charles'  books  to 
read,  viz.  —  The  puzzeling  cap,  the  female 
Oraters  &  the  history  of  Gaffer  too-shoes.65 

April  25  th.  —  I  learn' t  three  stitches  upon 
net  work  to-day. 

April  27th.  —  I  din'd  at  Aunt  Storer's  & 
spent  the  P.  M.  at  aunt  Suky's. 

April  28th.  — This  P.  M.  I  am  visited  by 
Miss  Glover,  Miss  Draper  &  Miss  Soley. 
My  aunt  abroad. 

April  29th.  —  Tomorrow,  if  the  weather  be 
good,  I  am  to  set  out  for  Marshfield. 

May  11.  —  The  morning  after  I  wrote 
above,  I  sat  out  for  Marshfield.  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  drinking  tea  with  aunt  Thomas 
the  same  day,  the  family  all  well,  but  Mr  G 

who 


MRS.  EBENEZER   STORER 


DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINSLOW.       65 

who  seems  to  be  near  the  end  of  the  journey 
of  life.  I  visited  General  Win  slow  66  &  his 
son,  the  Dr.,  spent  8  days  very  agreeably 
with  my  friends  at  Marshfield,  &  returned 
on  saterday  last  in  good  health  &  gay  spirits 
which  I  still  enjoy.  The  2  first  days  I  was 
at  Marshfield,  the  heat  was  extream  &  un- 
common for  the  season.  It  ended  on  sater- 
day evening  with  a  great  thunder  storm. 
The  air  has  been  very  cool  ever  since.  My 
aunt  Deming  observ'd  a  great  deal  of  light- 
ning in  the  south,  but  there  was  neither 
thunder,  rain  nor  clouds  in  Boston. 

May  16.  —  Last  Wednesday  Bet  Smith 
was  set  upon  the  gallows.  She  behav'd  with 
great  impudence.  Thursday  I  danc'd  a  min- 
uet &  country  dances  at  school,  after  which 
I  drank  tea  with  aunt  Storer.  To  day  I  am 
somewhat  out  of  sorts,  a  little  sick  at  my 
stomach. 

23d.  —  I  followed  my  schools  every  day  this 
week,  thursday  I  din'd  at  aunt  Storer's  & 
spent  the  P.  M.  there. 

25.  —  I  was  not  at  meeting  yesterday, 
Unkle  &  Aunt  say  they  had  very  good  Fish 
at  the  O.  S.     I  have  got  very  sore  eyes. 

June 


66       DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINSLOW. 

June  Ist.  —  All  last  week  till  saterday  was 
very  cold  &  rainy.  Aunt  Deming  kept  me 
within  doors,  there  were  no  schools  on  ac- 
count of  the  Election  of  Councellers,67  & 
other  public  doings  ;  with  one  eye  (for  t'other 
was  bound  up)  I  saw  the  governer  &  his  train 
of  life  guard  &c.  ride  by  in  state  to  Cam- 
bridge. I  form'd  Letters  last  week  to  suit 
cousin  Sally  &  aunt  Thomas,  but  my  eyes 
were  so  bad  aunt  would  not  let  me  coppy 
but  one  of  them.  Monday  being  Artillery 
Election68  I  went  to  see  the  hall,  din'd  at 
aunt  Storer's,  took  a  walk  in  the  P.  M. 
Unkle  laid  down  the  commission  he  took  up 
last  year.  Mr  Handcock  invited  the  whole 
company  into  his  house  in  the  afternoon  & 
treated  them  very  genteelly  &  generously, 
with  cake,  wine,  &c.  There  were  10  corn 
baskets  of  the  feast  (at  the  Hall)  sent  to  the 
prison  &  almshouse. 

4th.  —  From  June  I  when  I  wrote  last  there 
has  nothing  extraordinary  happen' d  till  today 
the  whole  regiment  muster'd  upon  the  com- 
mon. Mr  Gannett,  aunt  &  myself  went  up 
into  the  common,  &  there  saw  Cap*  Water's, 
Cap1  Paddock's,  Cap*  Peirce's,   Cap1  Eliot's, 

Cap* 


DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINS  LOW.       67 

Cap*  Barret's,  Cap*  Gay's,  Cap*  May's,  Cap* 
Borington's  &  Cap*  Stimpson's  company's 
exercise.  From  there,  we  went  into  King 
street  to  Col  Marshal's 69  where  we  saw  all 
of  them  prettily  exercise  &  fire.  Mr.  Gan- 
nett din'd  with  us.  On  Sabbath-day  evening 
7  June  My  Hond  Papa,  Mamma,  little  Brother, 
cousin  H.  D.  Thomas,  Miss  Jenny  Allen,  & 
Mrs  Huston  arriv'd  here  from  Cumberland, 
all  in  good  health,  to  the  great  joy  of  all  their 
friends,  myself  in  particular  —  they  sail'd 
from  Cumberland  the  Is*  instant,  in  the  even- 
ing. 

Aug.  18.  —  Many  avocations  have  pre- 
vented my  keeping  my  journal  so  exactly  as 
heretofore,  by  which  means  a  pleasant  visit 
to  the  peacock,  my  Papa's  &  mamma's  jour- 
ney to  Marshfield  &c.  have  been  omitted. 
The  6  instant  Mr  Sam1  Jarvis  was  married 
to  Miss  Suky  Peirce,  &  on  the  13th  I  made 
her  a  visit  in  company  with  mamma  &  many 
others.  The  bride  was  dress'd  in  a  white 
satin  night  gound.70 

27.  —  Yesterday  I  heard  an  account  of  a 
cat  of  17  years  old,  that  has  just  recovered 
of  the  meazels.  This  same  cat  it  is  said  had 
the  small  pox  8  years  ago  !  28. 


68        DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINSLOW. 

28.  —  I  spent  the  P.  M.  &  eve  at  aunt 
Suky's  very  agreeably  with  aunt  Pierce's 
young  ladies  viz.  Miss  Johnson,  Miss  Walker, 
Miss  Polly  &  Miss  Betsey  Warton,  (of  New- 
port) Miss  Betsey  is  just  a  fortnight  wanting 
1  day  older  than  I  am,  who  I  became  ac- 
quainted with  that  P.  M.  Papa,  Mamma, 
Unkle  &  aunt  Storer,  Aunt  Pierce  &  Mr  & 
Mrs  Jarvis  was  there.  There  were  18  at 
supper  besides  a  great  many  did  not  eat  any. 
Mrs  Jarvis  sang  after  supper.  My  brother 
Johny  has  got  over  the  measels. 

Sept.  1.  —  Last  evening  after  meeting, 
Mrs  Bacon  was  brought  to  bed  of  a  fine 
daughter.     But  was  very  ill.     She  had  fits. 

September  7.  —  Yesterday  afternoon  Mr 
Bacon  baptiz'd  his  daughter  by  the  name  of 
Elizabeth  Lewis.  It  is  a  pretty  looking 
child.  Mrs  Whitwell  is  like  to  loose  her 
Henry  Harris.     He  is  very  ill. 

8.  —  I  visited  with  mamma  at  cousin  Rog- 
ers'.    There  was  a  good  many. 

14. — Very  busy  all  day,  went  into  the 
common  in  the  afternoon  to  see  training.  It 
was  very  prettyly  perform' d. 

18. — My  Papa,  aunt  Deming,  cousin  Rogers, 

& 


DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINS  LOW.       69 

&  Miss  Betsey  Gould  set  out  for  Portsmouth. 
I  went  over  to  Charlestown  with  them,  after 
they  were  gone,  I  came  back,  &  rode  up  from 
the  ferry  in  Mrs  Rogers'  chaise ;  it  drop'd 
me  at  Unkle  Storer's  gate,  where  I  spent  the 
day.     My  brother  was  very  sick. 

Sepr  17.  18. — Spent  the  days  at  aunt 
Storer's,  the  nights  at  home. 

19. — Went  down  in  the  morns  &  spent 
the  day  &  night  there.  My  brother  better 
than  he  was. 

20.  —  Sabbath  day.  I  went  to  hear  Mr 
Stilman 71  all  day,  I  like  him  very  much.  I 
don't  wonder  so  many  go  to  hear  him. 

21st.  —  Mr.  Sawyer,  Mr  Parks,  &  Mrs  Chat- 
bourn,  din'd  at  aunt  Storer's.  I  went  to 
dancing  in  the  afternoon.  Miss  Winslow  & 
Miss  Allen  visited  there. 

22d.  — The  king's  coronation  day.  In  the 
evening  I  went  with  mamma  to  Coln  Mar- 
shal's in  King  Street  to  see  the  fireworks. 

23d.  —  I  din'd  at  aunt  Suky's  with  Mr  & 
Mrs  Hooper72  of  Marblehead.  In  the  after- 
noon I  went  over  to  see  Miss  Betsy  Winslow. 
When  I  came  back  I  had  the  pleasure  to 
meet  papa.     I  came  home  in  the  evening  to 

see 


70       DIARY  OF  ANNA   GREEN  WINS  LOW. 

see   aunt   Deming.      Unkle   Winslow   sup'd 
here. 

24.  —  Papa  cal'd  here  in  the  morns.  No- 
thing else  worth  noticeing. 

25.  —  Very  pleasant.  Unkle  Ned  cal'd 
here.  Little  Henry  Harris  was  buried  this 
afternoon. 

26.  27.  —  Nothing  extraordinary  yesterday 
&  to  day. 

28.  —  My  papa  &  unkle  Winslow  spent  the 
evening  here. 

29.  30.  —  Very  stormy.  Miss  Winslow  & 
I  read  out  the  Generous  Inconstant,  &  have 
begun  Sir  Charles  Grandison.  .  .  . 

May  25.  —  Nothing  remarkable  since  the 
preceding  date.  Whenever  I  have  omited  a 
school  my  aunt  has  directed  me  to  sit  it  down 
here,  so  when  you  dont  see  a  memorandum  of 
that  kind,  you  may  conclude  that  I  have  paid 
my  compliments  to  messrs  Holbrook  &  Tur- 
ner (to  the  former  you  see  to  very  little  pur- 
pose) &  mrs  Smith  as  usual.  The  Miss  Wal- 
dow's  I  mentioned  in  a  former  are  Mr.  Danl 
Waldo's  daughters  (very  pretty  misses)  their 
mamma  was  Miss  Becca  Salisbury.73  After 
making  a  short  visit  with  my  Aunt  at  Mrs 

Green's 


DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINSLOW.       Jl 

Green's,  over  the  way,  yesterday  towards 
evening,  I  took  a  walk  with  cousin  Sally  to 
see  the  good  folks  in  Sudbury  Street,  &  found 
them  all  well.  I  had  my  HEDDUS  roll  on, 
aunt  Storer  said  it  ought  to  be  made  less, 
Aunt  Deming  said  it  ought  not  to  be  made 
at  all.  It  makes  my  head  itch,  &  ach,  &  burn 
like  anything  Mamma.  This  famous  roll  is 
not  made  wholly  of  a  red  Cow  Tail,  but  is  a 
mixture  of  that,  &  horsehair  (very  course)  & 
a  little  human  hair  of  yellow  hue,  that  I  sup- 
pose was  taken  out  of  the  back  part  of  an  old 

wig.   But  D made  it  (our  head)  all  carded 

together  and  twisted  up.  When  it  first  came 
home,  aunt  put  it  on,  &  my  new  cap  on  it, 
she  then  took  up  her  apron  &  mesur'd  me, 
&  from  the  roots  of  my  hair  on  my  forehead 
to  the  top  of  my  notions,  I  mesur'd  above  an 
inch  longer  than  I  did  downwards  from  the 
roots  of  my  hair  to  the  end  of  my  chin. 
Nothing  renders  a  young  person  more  ami- 
able than  virtue  &  modesty  without  the  help 
of  fals  hair,  red  Cow  tail,  or  D (the  bar- 
ber).74 Now  all  this  mamma,  I  have  just 
been  reading  over  to  my  aunt.  She  is  pleas'd 
with  my  whimsical  description  &  grave  (half 

grave 


72       DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINSLOW. 

grave)  improvement,  &  hopes  a  little  fals 
English  will  not  spoil  the  whole  with  Mamma. 
Rome  was  not  built  in  a  day. 

31st  May.  —  Monday  last  I  was  at  the  fac- 
tory to  see  a  piece  of  cloth  cousin  Sally  spun 
for  a  summer  coat  for  unkle.  After  viewing 
the  work  we  recollected  the  room  we  sat  down 
in  was  Libberty  Assembly  Hall,  otherwise 
called  factory  hall,  so  Miss  Gridley  &  I  did  our- 
selves the  Honour  of  dancing  a  minuet  in  it. 
On  tuesday  I  made  Mrs  Smith  my  morning 
&  p.  m.  visits  as  usual,  neither  Mr.  Holbrook 
nor  Turner  have  any  school  this  week,  nor 
till  tuesday  next.  I  spent  yesterday  with  my 
friends  in  sudbury  St.  Cousin  Frank  has 
got  a  fever,  aunt  Storer  took  an  emmetick 
while  I  was  there,  cousin  Betsy  had  violent 
pains  almost  all  the  forenoon.  Last  tuesday 
Miss  Ursula  Griswold,  daughter  of  the  right 
Hon.  Matthew  Griswold  Esq  governer  of  one 
of  his  Majesty's  provinces,  was  made  one  of 
our  family,  &  I  have  the  honor  of  being  her 
chambermade.  I  have  just  been  reading 
over  what  I  wrote  to  the  company  present,  & 
have  got  myself  laughed  at  for  my  ignorance. 
It  seems  I  should  have  said  the  daughter  of 

the 


DIARY  OF  ANNA  GREEN  WINSLOW.       J$ 

the  Hon  Lieu4.  Governor  of  Connecticut^. 
Mrs  Dixon  lodg'd  at  Capn  Mitchell's.  She 
is  gone  to  Connecticutt  long  since. 

31  May.  —  I  spent  the  afternoon  at  unkle 
Joshua's,  yesterday,  after  tea  I  went  to  see 
how  aunt  Storer  did.  I  found  her  well  at 
Unkle  Frank's.  Mr  Gerrish  &  wife  of  Hali- 
fax I  had  the  pleasure  to  meet  there,  the  lat- 
ter sends  love  to  you.  Indeed  Mamma,  till 
I  receiv'd  your  last  favour,  I  never  heard  a 
word  about  the  little  basket  &c.  which  I  sent 
to  brother  Johny  last  fall.  I  suppose  Harry 
had  so  much  to  write  about  cotton,  that  he 
forgot  what  was  of  more  consequence.  Dear 
Mamma,  what  name  has  Mr  Bent  given  his 
Son  ?  something  like  Nehemiah,  or  Jehosha- 
phat,  I  suppose,  it  must  be  an  odd  name  (our 
head  indeed,  Mamma.)  Aunt  says  she  hopes 
it  a'nt  Baal  Gad,  &  she  also  says  that  I  am 
a  little  simpleton  for  making  my  note  within 
the  brackets  above,  because,  when  I  omit  to 
do  it,  Mamma  will  think  I  have  the  help  of 
somebody  else's  head  but,  N.  B.  for  herself 
she  utterly  disclames  having  either  her  head 
or  hand  concern'd  in  this  curious  journal, 
except  where  the  writing  makes  it  manifest. 
So  much  for  this  matter. 


CUT-PAPER   PICTURE 


NOTES. 


Note  i. 
Aunt  Deming  was  Sarah,  the  oldest  child  of  John 
Winslow  and  Sarah  Peirce,  and  therefore  sister  of 
Joshua  Winslow,  Anna  Green  Winslow's  father. 
She  was  born  August  2,  1722,  died  March  10,  1788. 
She  married  John  West,  and  after  his  death  married, 
on  February  27,  1752,  John  Deming.  He  was  a  re- 
spectable and  intelligent  Boston  citizen,  but  not  a 
wealthy  man.  He  was  an  ensign  in  the  Ancient  and 
Honorable  Artillery  in  1771,  and  a  deacon  of  the 
Old  South  Church  in  1769,  both  of  which  offices  were 
patents  of  nobility  in  provincial  Boston.  They  lived 
in  Central  Court,  leading  out  of  Washington  Street, 
just  south  of  Summer  Street.  Aunt  Deming  eked 
out  a  limited  income  in  a  manner  dear  to  Boston  gen- 
tlewomen in  those  and  in  later  days  ;  she  took  young 
ladies  to  board  while  they  attended  Boston  schools. 
Advertisements  in  colonial  newspapers  of  "Board 
and  half-board  for  young  ladies  "  were  not  rare,  and 
many  good  old  New  England  names  are  seen  in 
these  advertisements.  Aunt  Deming  was  a  woman 
of  much  judgment,  as  is  shown  in  the  pages  of  this 
diary ;  of  much  power  of  graphic  description,  as  is 

proved 


?6  NOTES. 

proved  by  a  short  journal  written  for  her  niece,  Sally 
Coverly,  and  letters  of  hers  which  are  still  preserved. 
She  died  childless. 

Note  2. 
Cumberland  was  the  home  in  Nova  Scotia  of  Anna 
Green  Winslow's  parents,  where  her  father  held  the 
position  of  commissary  to  the  British  regiments  sta- 
tioned there.  George  Green,  Anna's  uncle,  writing 
to  Joseph  Green,  at  Paramaribo,  on  July  23,  1770, 
said :  "  Mr.  Winslow  &  wife  still  remain  at  Cumber- 
land, have  one  son  &  one  daughter,  the  last  now  at 
Boston  for  schooling,  &c."  So,  at  the  date  of  the 
first  entry  in  the  diary,  Anna  had  been  in  Boston 
probably  about  a  year  and  a  half. 

Note  3. 

Anna  Green  Winslow  had  doubtless  heard  much 
talk  about  this  Rev.  John  Bacon,  the  new  minister 
at  the  Old  South  Church,  for  much  had  been  said 
about  him  in  the  weekly  press :  whether  he  should 
have  an  ordination  dinner  or  not,  and  he  did  not; 
accounts  of  his  ordination ;  and  then  notice  of  the  sale 
of  his  sermons  in  the  Boston  Gazette. 

All  Mr.  Bacon's  parishioners  did  not  share  Anna's 
liking  for  him ;  he  found  himself  at  the  Old  South  in 
sorely  troubled  waters.  He  made  a  most  unpropi- 
tious  and  trying  entrance  at  best,  through  succeeding 
the  beloved  Joseph  Sewall,  who  had  preached  to  Old 
South  listeners  for  fifty-six  years.  He  came  to  town 
a  stranger.  When,  a  month  later,  Governor  Hutchin- 
son 


NOTES.  77 

son  issued  his  annual  Thanksgiving  Proclamation, 
there  was  placed  therein  an  "  exceptionable  clause  " 
that  was  very  offensive  to  Boston  patriots,  relating 
to  the  continuance  of  civil  and  religious  liberties.  It 
had  always  been  the  custom  to  have  the  Proclama- 
tion read  by  the  ministers  in  the  Boston  churches  for 
the  two  Sundays  previous  to  Thanksgiving  Day,  but 
the  ruling  governor  very  cannily  managed  to  get  two 
Boston  clergymen  to  read  his  proclamation  the  third 
Sunday  before  the  appointed  day,  when  all  the  church 
members,  being  unsuspectingly  present,  had  to  listen 
to  the  unwelcome  words.  One  of  these  clerical  in- 
struments of  gubernatorial  diplomacy  and  craft  was 
John  Bacon.  Samuel  Adams  wrote  bitterly  of  him, 
saying,  "  He  performed  this  servile  task  a  week  be- 
fore the  time,  when  the  people  were  not  aware  of  it." 
The  Boston  Gazette  of  November  n  commented 
severely  on  Mr.  Bacon's  action,  and  many  of  his 
congregation  were  disgusted  with  him,  and  remained 
after  the  service  to  talk  the  Proclamation  and  their 
unfortunate  new  minister  over. 

It  might  have  been  offered,  one  might  think,  as 
some  excuse,  that  he  had  so  recently  come  from 
Maryland,  and  was  probably  unacquainted  with  the 
intenseness  of  Massachusetts  politics  ;  and  that  he 
had  also  been  a  somewhat  busy  and  preoccupied  man 
during  his  six  weeks'  presence  in  Boston,  for  he  had 
been  marrying  a  wife,  —  or  rather  a  widow.  In  the 
Boston  Evening  Post  of  November  n,  1771,  I  read 
this  notice :  "  Married,  the  Rev'd  John  Bacon  to  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  Cummings,  daughter  of  Ezekiel  Goldthwait, 
Esq."  He 


78  NOTES. 

He  retained  his  pastorate,  however,  in  spite  of  his 
early  mistake,  through  anxious  tea-party  excitement 
and  forlorn  war-threatened  days,  till  1775,  with  but 
scant  popularity  and  slight  happiness,  with  bitter 
differences  of  opinion  with  his  people  over  atonement 
and  imputation,  and  that  ever-present  stumbling-block 
to  New  England  divines, — baptism  under  the  Half 
Covenant,  —  till  he  was  asked  to  resign. 

Nor  did  he  get  on  over  smoothly  with  his  fellow 
minister,  John  Hunt.  In  a  curious  poem  of  the  day, 
called  "  Boston  Ministers  "  (which  is  reprinted  in  the 
New  Eiigland  Historical  and  Genealogical  Register 
of  April,  1859),  these  verses  appear:  — 

At  Old  South  there  's  a  jarring  pair, 

If  I  am  not  mistaken, 
One  may  descry  with  half  an  eye 

That  Hunt  is  far  from  Bacon. 
Wise  Hunt  can  trace  out  means  of  grace 

As  leading  to  conversion, 
But  Hopkins  scheme  is  Bacons  theme, 

And  strange  is  his  assertion. 

It  mattered  little,  however,  that  Parson  Bacon  had  to 
leave  the  Old  South,  for  that  was  soon  no  longer  a 
church,  but  a  riding  school  for  the  British  troops. 

Mr.  Bacon  retired,  after  his  dismissal,  to  Canter- 
bury, Conn.,  his  birthplace.  His  friendly  intimacy 
with  Mrs.  Deming  proved  of  value  to  her,  for  when 
she  left  Boston,  in  April,  1775,  at  the  time  of  the 
closing  of  the  city  gates,  she  met  Mr.  Bacon  in  Provi- 
dence.    She  says  in  her  journal :  — 

"  Towards 


NOTES.  79 

"Towards  evening  Mr  &  Mrs  Bacon,  with  their 
daughter,  came  into  town.  Mr  Bacon  came  to  see 
me.  Enquir'd  into  my  designs,  &c.  I  told  him  truely 
I  did  not  know  what  to  do.  That  I  had  thot  of 
giting  farther  into  the  country.  Of  trying  to  place 
Sally  in  some  family  where  she  might  earn  her  board, 
&  to  do  something  like  it  for  Lucinda,  or  put  her 
out  upon  wages.  That  when  I  left  the  plain  I  had 
some  faint  hope  I  might  hear  from  Mr  Deming  while 
I  continued  at  Providence,  but  that  I  had  little  of 
that  hope  remaining.  Mr  Bacon  advised  me  to  go 
into  Connecticutt,  the  very  thing  I  was  desirous  of. 
Mr  Bacon  sd  that  he  would  advise  me  for  the  present 
to  go  to  Canterbury,  his  native  place.  That  he  would 
give  me  a  Letter  to  his  Sister,  who  would  receive  me 
kindly  &  treat  me  tenderly,  &  that  he  would  follow 
me  there  in  a  few  days." 

This  advice  Mrs.  Deming  took,  and  made  Canter- 
bury her  temporary  home. 

Mr.  Bacon  did  not  again  take  charge  of  a  parish. 
After  the  Revolution  he  became  a  magistrate,  went 
to  the  legislature,  became  judge  of  the  court  of  com- 
mon pleas,  and  a  member  of  congress.  He  did  not 
wholly  give  up  his  disputatious  ways,  if  we  can  judge 
from  the  books  written  by  and  to  him,  one  of  the 
latter  being,  "  A  Droll,  a  Deist,  and  a  John  Bacon, 
Master  of  Arts,  Gently  Reprimanded." 

His  wife,  who  was  born  in  1733,  and  died  in  Stock- 
bridge  in  1 82 1,  was  the  daughter  of  Ezekiel  Gold- 
thwait,  a  Tory  citizen  of  Boston,  a  register  of  deeds, 
and  a  wealthy  merchant.     A  portrait  of  Mrs.  Bacon, 

painted 


80  NOTES. 

painted  by  Copley,  is  remarkable  for  its  brilliant  eyes 
and  beautiful  hands  and  arms. 

Note  4. 
Rev.  John  Hunt  was  born  in  Northampton,  Novem- 
ber 20, 1744.  He  was  a  Harvard  graduate  in  the  class 
of  1764,  a  classmate  of  Caleb  Strong  and  John  Scol- 
lay.  He  was  installed  colleague-pastor  of  the  Old 
South  Church  with  John  Bacon  in  1771.  He  found 
it  a  most  trying  position.  He  was  of  an  amiable  and 
gentle  disposition,  and  the  poem  on  "  Boston  Minis- 
ters "  asserted  that  he  "most  friends  with  sisters 
made."  Another  Boston  rhymester  called  him  "puny 
John  from  Northampton,  a  meek-mouth  moderate 
man."  When  the  gates  of  Boston  were  closed  in 
1775,  after  the  battle  of  Lexington,  he  returned  to 
Northampton,  and  died  there  of  consumption,  Decem- 
ber 20,  1 775.  A  full  account  of  his  life  is  given  in 
Spr ague's  Annals  of  the  American  Pulpit.  See  also 
Note  3. 

Note  5. 
"  Unkle  and  Aunt  Winslow "  were  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
John  Winslow.  He  was  the  brother  of  Joshua  Wins- 
low,  was  born  March,  1725-26,  died  September  29, 
1773,  in  Boston.  He  was  married,  on  March  12, 1752, 
to  Elizabeth  Mason  (born  September,  1723,  died 
January,  1780).  They  had  five  children:  I.  Gen. 
John  Winslow,  born  September  26,  1753,  married 
Ann  Gardner,  May  21,  1782,  died  November  29, 
1819.     II.  Sarah,  born  April  12,  1755,  married  Dea- 


NOTES.  Si 

con  Samuel  Coverly,  of  Boston,  on  November  27, 
1787,  died  April  3,  1804.  See  Note  13.  III.  Henry, 
born  January  II,  1757,  died  October  13,  1766.  IV. 
Elizabeth,  born  November  28,  1759,  died  September 
8,  1760.  V.  Elizabeth,  born  September  14,  1760, 
married  John  Holland,  died  November  21,  1795. 

Gen.  John  Winslow  was  the  favorite  nephew  of 
Joshua  Winslow  and  of  his  wife,  and  largely  inherited 
their  property.  He  remained  in  Boston  through  the 
siege,  and  preserved  the  communion  plate  of  the  Old 
South  Church  by  burying  it  in  his  uncle  Mason's 
cellar.  He  was  an  ardent  patriot,  and  it  is  said  that 
his  uncle  Joshua  threatened  to  hang  him  if  he  caught 
him  during  the  Revolutionary  War.  The  nephew 
answered,  "No  catchee  —  no  hangee,  Uncle;"  but 
did  have  the  contrary  fortune  of  capturing  the  uncle, 
whom  he  released  on  parole.  He  was  the  sixth 
signer  and  first  treasurer  of  the  Society  of  the  Cincin- 
nati. General  Winslow's  daughter,  Mary  Ann  Wins- 
low, born  in  1790,  lived  till  1882,  and  from  her  were 
obtained  many  of  the  facts  given  in  these  notes. 

Note  6. 
Miss  Soley  was  Hannah   Soley,  daughter  of  John 
Soley  and  Hannah  Carey,  who  were  married  October 
11,  1759.     Hannah  Soley  was  born  June  5,  1762,  and 
married  W.  G.  McCarty. 

Note  7. 
William  and  Samuel  Whitwell  and  their  families 
were  members  of  the  Old  South  Church,  and  all  were 

friends 


82  NOTES. 

friends  of  the  Winslows  and  Demings.  William 
Whitwell  was  born  September  3,  1714,  died  April  10, 
1795.  He  was  a  prosperous  merchant,  an  estimable 
and  useful  citizen,  and  church  member.  His  first  wife 
was  Rebecca  Keayne,  his  second  Elizabeth  Scott  (or 
Swett),  who  died  May  13,  1771  ;  his  third,  the  widow 
of  Royal  Tyler.  The  Mrs.  Whitwell  here  referred  to 
must  have  been  Mrs.  Samuel  Whitwell,  for  William 
Whitwell  just  at  that  interval  was  a  widower.  Sam- 
uel Whitwell  was  born  December  17,  o.  s.  171 7,  died 
June  8,  1 801.  His  first  wife  was  Elizabeth  Kelsey; 
his  second,  Sarah  Wood ;  his  third,  Mary  Smith. 

Note  8. 
Polly  Deming  was  a  niece  of  John  Deming. 

Note  9. 
Miss  Polly  Glover  was  Mary  Glover,  born  in  Bos- 
ton, October  12,  1758,  baptized  at  the  Old  South 
Church,  married  to  Deacon  James  Morrell,  of  the 
Old  South,  on  April  23,  1778,  and  died  April  3, 
1842.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Nathaniel  Glover 
(who  was  born  May  16,  1704,  in  Dorchester;  died 
December,  1773),  and  his  wife,  Anne  Simpson.  They 
were  married  in  1750.  Nathaniel  Glover  was  a  grad- 
uate of  Harvard,  and  a  wealthy  man  ;  partner  first  of 
Thomas  Hancock,  and  then  of  John  Hancock. 

Note  10. 
Miss  Bessy  Winslowwas  Elizabeth,  Anna's  cousin, 
who  was  then  about  ten  years  old.     See  Note  5. 

Note 


NOTES.  83 

Note  ii. 
Miss  Nancy  or  Anne  Glover  was  Mary  Glover's 
sister.  See  Note  9.  She  was  born  in  Boston,  March 
28>  1753,  baptized  in  the  Old  South  Church,  died  in 
Roxbury,  August,  1797.  She  married  Samuel  Whit- 
well,  Jr.,  son  of  Samuel  Whitwell,  a  prominent  Bos- 
ton merchant.     See  Note  7. 

Note  12. 
Miss  Sally  Winslow  was  Sarah,  daughter  of  John 
Winslow  (see  Note  5),  and  was,  therefore,  Anna's 
cousin.  She  was  born  April  12,  1755,  died  April  3, 
1804.  She  married,  November  27,  1787,  Samuel 
Coverly,  deacon  of  the  Old  South  Church.  She  was 
the  Sally  Coverly  for  whom  Mrs.  Deming's  journal 
was  written.  Several  of  Sally  Coverly 's  letters  still 
exist,  and  are  models  of  elegant  penmanship  and  cor- 
rect spelling,  and  redound  to  the  credit  of  her  writing 
teacher,  Master  Holbrook.  All  the  d's  and  y's  and 
t's  end  with  elaborately  twisted  little  curls.  A  care- 
ful margin  of  an  inch  is  left  on  every  side.  The  let- 
ters speak  so  plainly  of  the  formal  honor  and  respect 
paid  by  all  well-bred  persons  of  the  day  to  their 
elders,  even  though  familiar  kinsfolk,  that  I  quote 
one,  which  contains  much  family  news :  — 

Boston,  Feb.  17th,  1780. 
I  thank  you  my  dear  Aunt  for  your  kind  Epistles 
of  April  9th  &  Nov'r  10th,  the  kind  interestedness 
you  yet  continue  to  take  in  my  concerns  merits  the 
warmest  returns  of  Gratitude. 

The 


84  NOTES. 

The  Particular  circumstances  you  wish  to  know  I 
shall  with  pleasure  inform  you  of  —  Mr.  Coverly  is  the 
youngest  son  of  a  Worthy  Citizen  late  of  this  town 
but  his  Parents  are  now  no  more.  His  age  is  thirty- 
five.  His  Occupation  a  Shopkeeper  who  imports 
his  own  goods.  And  if  you  should  wish  to  know  who 
of  your  acquaintance  he  resembles,  Madam,  I  would 
answer  He  has  been  taken  for  our  Minister  Mr  Eck- 
ley,  by  whom  we  were  married  in  my  Aunt  Demings 
sick  chamber  the  27th  of  Nov'r  last  twelve  months 
since.  He  has  two  Brothers  who  both  reside  in  town. 
I  have  been  remarkably  favor'd  the  last  year  as  to 
my  health  &  we  are  blest  likewise  with  a  fine  little 
Daughter  between  4  &  5  months  old,  very  healthy, 
which  we  have  named  Elizabeth  for  its  Grandmamas 
and  an  Aunt  of  each  side.  My  Brother  call'd  today 
&  inform'd  me  that  Mr  Powell  intended  setting  out 
tomorrow  for  Quebeck  &  left  a  Letter  for  you  which 
I  shall  send  with  this.  He  is  almost  if  not  quite  as 
big  as  my  uncle  was  last  time  I  saw  him  —  he  was  well 
&  his  family,  he  has  three  sons,  the  youngest  about 
eleven  months  old,  he  has  buried  one. 

In  your  last  you  mention  both  my  Uncle  &  your- 
self as  not  enjoying  so  great  a  share  of  health.  I 
hope  by  this  time  you  have  each  regain'd  that  bless- 
ing more  perfectly.  Be  pleased  with  him  My  Dear 
Aunt  to  accept  My  Duty  in  which  Mr  Coverly  joins 
me. 

My  Sister  was  very  well  last  week  &  her  son  John 
who  is  a  fine  child  about  3  months  old.  Capt.  Hol- 
land has  purchas'd  a  house  near  fort  hill  which  has 

remov'd 


NOTES.  85 

remov'd  her  to  a  greater  distance  from  me.  She  is 
now  gone  to  the  West-indies,  she  is  connected  in  a 
family  that  are  all  very  fond  of  her.  We  expect  soon 
to  remove.  Mr  Coverly  has  taken  a  lease  of  a 
house  for  some  years  belonging  to  Mr  John  Amory, 
you  will  please  to  direct  your  next  for  us  in  Cornhill 
No  10,  I  shall  have  the  pleasure  of  your  friend  Mrs 
Whitwell  for  my  next  neighbor  there.  I  had  not  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  Mr  Freeman  whiles  here  altho'  I 
expected  it,  as  his  brother  promis'd  to  wait  on  him 
here. 

In  one  of  your  kind  Epistles,  Madam,  you  men- 
tion'd  some  of  your  Movables  which  you  would  wish 
me  to  take  possession  of  which  were  at  my  Uncle 
Demings.  The  Memorandum  you  did  not  send  me 
&  my  Uncle  Deming  has  none  nor  knows  of  any 
thing  but  a  great  wheel. 

He  is  now  maried  to  the  Widow  Sebry  who  is  very 
much  lik'd  and  appears  to  be  a  Gentlewoman,  they 
were  very  well  today.  My  Aunt  Mason  was  to  see 
me  a  few  weeks  since  with  Mrs  Coburn  Mrs  S colly 
&  Miss  Becky  S colly  from  Middleborough.  Mrs 
S colly  has  since  married  her  youngest  daughter  to 
Mr  Prentice,  Minister  of  Medfield. 

Please  to  give  my  Love  to  Cousin  Sally  Deming  if 
she  is  yet  with  you  I  hope  she  has  regain'd  her  usual 
health.  I  should  be  very  glad  to  be  inform'd  how 
her  Mamma  is  &  where  &  her  family. 

Be  pleased  to  continue  your  Indulgence,  as  your 

Epistles 


86  NOTES. 

Epistles  My  Dear  Aunt  will  at  all  times  be  most 
gratefully  receiv'd  by 

Yr  Oblidg'd  Niece 

Sarah  Coverly. 

Note  13. 
Josiah  Waters,  Jr.,  was  the  son  of  Josiah  and  Abi- 
gail Dawes  Waters.  The  latter  lived  to  be  ninety- 
five  years  old.  Josiah  Sr.  was  a  captain  in  the  Artil- 
lery Company  in  1 769,  and  Josiah  Jr.  in  1 791 .  The 
latter  married,  on  March  14,  1771,  Mary,  daughter  of 
William  and  Elizabeth  Whitwell.  See  Note  7. 
Their  child,  Josiah  Waters,  tertius,  born  December 
29,  1 77 1,  lived  till  August  4,  1818.  He  was  a  Latin 
School  boy,  and  in  the  class  with  Josiah  Quincy  at 
Harvard. 

Note  14. 

The  life  of  this  slave-girl  Lucinda  was  a  fair  exam- 
ple of  the  gentle  form  of  slavery  which  existed  till 
this  century  in  our  New  England  States.  From  an 
old  paper  written  by  a  daughter  of  Gen.  John  Wins- 
low,  I  quote  her  description  of  this  girl :  — 

"  Lucinda  was  born  in  Africa  and  purchased  by 
Mre  Deming  when  she  was  about  seven  years  of 
age.  She  was  cherished  with  care  and  affection  by 
the  family,  and  at  Mrs.  Demings  death  was  'given 
her  freedom.'  From  that  time  she  chose  to  make 
her  home  with  '  Master  John '  (the  late  Gen.  John 
Winslow,  of  Boston),  a  nephew  of  Mrs  Demings  — 
at  his  house  she  died  after  some  years.     The  friends 

of 


NOTES.  87 

of  the  Winslow  family  attended  her  funeral  ;  her  pas- 
tor the  Rev  Dr  Eckley  of  the  Old  South  and  Gen. 
W.  walking  next  the  hearse  as  chief  mourners.  A 
few  articles  belonging  to  her  are  preserved  in  the 
family  as  memorials  of  one  who  was  a  beloved  mem- 
ber of  the  household  in  the  olden  time." 

Lucinda  figures  in  Mrs.  Deming's  account  of  her 
escape  from  besieged  Boston  in  1775,  and  was  treated 
with  as  much  consideration  as  was  Sally,  the  niece ; 
for  her  mistress  remained  behind  for  a  time  at 
Wrentham,  rather  than  to  allow  Lucinda  to  ride  out- 
side the  coach  in  the  rain. 

In  a  letter  written  by  Sally  Coverly,  August  6, 
l795>  to  Mrs.  Joshua  Winslow,  at  Quebec,  she  says  : 
"  You  enquire  about  Lucinda,  she  is  very  much  grat- 
ified by  it.  She  has  lived  with  my  Brother  this  ten 
years  and  is  very  good  help  in  their  family." 

Note  15. 

The  "  Miss  Sheafs  "  were  Nancy  and  Mary  Sheaffe, 
youngest  daughters  of  William  Sheaffe,  who  had  re- 
cently died,  leaving  a  family  of  four  sons  and  six 
daughters.  He  had  been  deputy  collector  of  customs 
under  Joseph  Harrison,  the  last  royal  collector  of  the 
port.  He  left  his  family  penniless,  and  a  small  shop 
was  stocked  by  friends  for  Mrs  Sheaffe.  I  have 
often  seen  her  advertisements  in  Boston  newspapers. 

Mrs.  Sheaffe  was  Susanna  Child,  daughter  of 
Thomas  Child,  an  Englishman,  one  of  the  founders 
of  Trinity  Church.  She  lived  till  181 1.  The  ten 
children  grew  up  to  fill  dignified  positions  in  life. 

One 


88  NOTES. 

One  son  was  Sir  Roger  Hale  Sheaffe.  Susanna,  at 
the  age  of  fifteen,  made  a  most  romantic  runaway- 
match  with  an  English  officer,  Capt.  Ponsonby  Moles- 
worth.  Margaret  married  John  R.  Livingstone  ;  she 
was  a  great  beauty.  Lafayette,  on  his  return  to 
France,  sent  her  a  satin  cardinal  lined  with  ermine, 
and  an  elegant  gown.  Helen  married  James  Lovell. 
(See  Note  52.)  Nancy,  or  Anne  Sheaffe,  married,  in 
September,  1786,  John  Erving,  Jr.,  a  nephew  of 
Governor  Shirley,  and  died  young,  leaving  three  chil- 
dren,—  Maria,  Frances,  and  Major  John  Erving. 
Mary  married  Benj.  Cutler,  high  sheriff  of  Boston, 
and  died  December  8,  1784,  leaving  no  children. 
These  Sheaffes  were  nearly  all  buried  in  the  Child 
tomb  in  Trinity  Church. 

Note  16. 
Governor  Matthew  Griswold  was  born  March  25, 
1 714,  died  April  28,  1799.  He  married,  on  Nov.  10, 
1743,  his  second  cousin,  Ursula  Wolcott,  daughter  of 
Gov.  Roger  Wolcott.  A  very  amusing  story  is  told 
of  their  courtship.  Governor  Griswold  in  early  life 
wished  to  marry  a  young  lady  in  Durham,  Conn. 
She  was  in  love  with  a  physician,  whom  she  hoped 
would  propose  to  her,  and  in  the  mean  time  was  un- 
willing to  give  up  her  hold  upon  her  assured  lover. 
At  last  the  governor,  tired  of  being  held  in  an  uncer- 
tainty, pressed  her  for  a  definite  answer.  She  pleaded 
that  she  wished  for  more  time,  when  he  rose  with 
dignity  and  answered  her,  "  I  will  give  you  a  life- 
time."     This  experience  made  him  extremely  shy, 

and 


notes.  Sg 

and  when  thrown  with  his  cousin  Ursula  he  made  no 
advance  towards  love-making.  At  last  when  she  was 
nineteen  and  he  ten  years  older  she  began  asking 
him  on  every  occasion,  "What  did  you  say,  Cousin 
Matthew  ? "  and  he  would  answer  her  quietly,  "  No- 
thing." At  last  she  asked  him  impatiently,  "What 
did  you  say,  Cousin  Matthew  ?  "  and  when  he  answered 
again  "Nothing,"  she  replied  sharply,  "Well,  it's 
time  you  did,"  —  and  he  did. 

Their  daughter  Ursula,  the  visitor  at  Mrs.  Dem- 
ing's,  was  born  April  13,  1754,  and  was  a  great 
beauty.  She  married,  in  November  22,  1777,  her 
third  cousin,  Lynde  McCurdy,  of  Norwich,  Conn. 

Note  17. 
"  Unkle  Joshua  "  was  Joshua  Green,  born  in  Bos- 
ton, May  17,  1 73 1,  "  Monday  \  past  9  oclock  in  the 
morns  "  and  died  in  Wendell,  Mass.,  on  September 
2,  181 1.  He  attended  the  Boston  Latin  School  in 
1738,  and  was  in  the  class  of  1749  at  Harvard.  He 
married,  as  did  his  brother  and  sister,  a  Storer — ■ 
Hannah,  daughter  of  Ebenezer  and  Mary  Edwards 
Storer  —  on  October  7,  1762.  After  his  marriage  he 
lived  in  Court  Street,  the  third  house  south  of  Han- 
over Street.  His  wife  Hannah  was  for  many  years 
before  and  after  her  marriage  —  as  was  her  mother  — 
the  intimate  friend  and  correspondent  of  Abigail 
Adams,  wife  of  John  Adams.  Some  of  their  letters 
may  be  found  in  the  Account  of  Per  rival  and  Ellen 
Green  and  Some  of  their  Descendants,  written  by  Hon. 
Samuel  Abbott  Green,  who  is  a  great-grandson  of 
Joshua  and  Hannah  Green.  Note 


90  NOTES. 

Note  18. 
Madam  Storer  was  Mary  Edwards  Storer,  the 
widow  of  Ebenezer  Storer,  a  Boston  merchant.  She 
was  the  mother  of  Anna's  uncle  Ebenezer  Storer,  of 
her  aunt  Hannah  Storer  Green,  and  of  her  aunt 
Mary  Storer  Green.     See  Notes  19,  32,  59. 

Note  19. 
Miss  Caty  Vans  was  the  granddaughter  of  Hugh 
Vans,  a  merchant  of  Boston,  who  became  a  member 
of  the  Old  South  Church  in  1728.  He  was  born  in 
Ayr,  Scotland,  in  1699.  He  married  Mary  Pember- 
ton,  daughter  of  Rev.  Ebenezer  Pemberton,  and  died 
in  Boston  in  1763.  They  had  four  sons,  John,  Eben- 
ezer, Samuel,  and  William.  One  of  the  first  three 
was  the  father  of  Caty  Vans,  who  was  born  January  18, 
1770.  There  are  frequent  references  to  her  through- 
out the  diary,  but  I  know  nothing  of  her  life.  William 
Vans  married  Mary  Clarke,  of  Salem,  and  had  one  son, 
William,  and  one  daughter,  Rebecca,  who  married 
Captain  Jonathan  Carnes.  The  Vans  family  Bible  is 
in  the  library  of  the  Essex  Institute. 

Note  20. 
In  the  cordial  hatred  of  the  Puritans  for  Christmas 
Anna  heartily  joined.  It  was  not  till  this  century 
that  in  New  England  cheerful  merriment  and  the 
universal  exchange  of  gifts  marked  the  day  as  a  real 
holiday. 

Note 


NOTES.  91 

Note  21. 
"Aunt  Sukey"  was  Susanna  Green,  born  July  26, 
1744,  died  November  10,  1775.  She  married,  on  Oc- 
tober 18,  1769,  her  cousin,  Francis  Green.  The  little 
child  Charles,  of  whom  Anna  writes,  proved  to  be  a 
deaf-mute,  and  was  drowned  near  Halifax  in  1787. 
Francis  Green  had  two  deaf-mute  children  by  a  second 
wife,  and  became  prominent  afterwards  in  Massachu- 
setts for  his  interest  in  and  promotion  of  methods  in 
instructing  the  deaf.  In  a  letter  of  George  Green's, 
dated  Boston,  July  23,  1770,  we  read:  "Frank  Green 
was  married  to  Sukey  in  October  last  and  they  live 
next  house  to  Mrs  Storers."  From  another,  dated 
December  5,  1770:  "Frank  keeps  a  ship  going  be- 
tween here  &  London,  but  I  believe  understands  little 
of  the  matter,  having  never  been  bred  to  business  wch 
was  one  great  objection  with  my  father  to  his  court- 
ing Sukey."  I  think  he  must  have  developed  into  a 
capable  business  man,  for  I  have  frequently  seen  his 
business  advertisements  in  Boston  newspapers  of  his 
day.  Anna's  mother  bequeathed  seven  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars  to  Francis  Green  in  her  will.  He  was  a 
man  universally  esteemed  in  the  community. 

Note  22. 
Dr.  Samuel  Cooper  was  born  March  28,  1725  ;  died 
December  29,  1783.  He  graduated  at  Harvard  in 
1743,  and  became  pastor  of  the  Brattle  Street  Con- 
gregational Church,  of  Boston.  He  was  a  brilliant 
preacher,  an  ardent  patriot,  the  intimate  friend  of 
John  Adams  and  Benjamin  Franklin,  and  a  very  hand- 
some man.  Note 


92  NOTES. 

Note  23. 

was  Samui 

writing-master,  one  of  a  highly  honored  family  of 
Boston  writing  teachers.  Perhaps  the  best  known  of 
this  family  was  Abiah  Holbrook.  In  the  Boston 
Gazette  of  January  30,  1769,  I  find  this  notice  :  — 

"  Last  Friday  morning  died  Mr  Abiah  Holbrook  in 
the  51st  year  of  his  Age,  Master  of  the  South  Writing 
School  in  this  Town.  He  was  looked  upon  by  the 
Best  Judges  as  the  Greatest  Master  of  the  Pen  we 
have  ever  had  among  us,  of  which  he  has  left  a  most 
beautiful  Demonstration.  He  was  indefatigable  in 
his  labours,  successful  in  his  Instructions,  an  Honour 
to  the  Town  and  to  crown  all  an  Ornament  to  the 
Religion  of  Jesus.  His  Funeral  is  to  be  Attended 
Tomorrow  Afternoon  at  Four  Oclock." 

The  "  beautiful  Demonstration  "  of  his  penmanship 
which  he  left  behind  him  was  a  most  intricate  piece 
of  what  was  known  as  "fine  knotting"  or  "knot 
work."  It  was  written  in  "  all  the  known  hands  of 
Great  Britain."  This  work  occupied  every  moment 
of  what  Abiah  Holbrook  called  his  "  spare  time  "  for 
seven  years.  It  was  valued  at  ^100.  It  was  be- 
queathed to  Harvard  College,  unless  his  wife  should 
need  the  money  which  could  be  obtained  from  selling 
it.  If  this  were  so,  she  was  to  offer  it  first  for  pur- 
chase to  John  Hancock.    Abiah  was  a  stanch  patriot. 

Samuel  Holbrook  was  a  brother  of  Abiah.  He 
began  teaching  in  1 745,  when  about  eighteen  years 
old.  A  petition  of  Abiah,  dated  March  10,  1745-46, 
sets  forth  that  his  school  had  two  hundred  and  twenty 

scholars 


NOTES.  93 

scholars  (Well  may  his  funeral  notice  say  that  he  was 
indefatigable  in  his  labors  !),  that  finding  it  impossible 
to  properly  instruct  such  a  great  number,  he  had  ap- 
pointed his  brother  to  teach  part  of  them  and  had 
paid  his  board  for  seven  months,  else  some  of  the 
scholars  must  have  been  turned  off  without  any  in- 
struction. He  therefore  prayed  the  town  to  grant 
him  assistance.  Think  of  one  master  for  such  a 
great  school!  In  1750  Samuel  Holbrook's  salary  as 
usher  of  the  South  Writing  School  was  fifty  pounds 
per  annum. 

After  serving  as  writing-master  of  the  school  in 
Queen  Street,  and  also  keeping  a  private  school,  he 
was  chosen  master  of  the  South  Writing  School  in 
March,  1769,  to  supply  the  place  of  his  brother  Abiah 
deceased.  His  salary  was  one  hundred  pounds.  In 
1776,  and  again  in  1777,  he  received  eighty  pounds  in 
addition  to  his  salary.  He  also  was  a  patriot.  He 
was  one  of  the  "  Sons  of  Liberty  "  who  dined  at  the 
Liberty  Tree,  Dorchester,  on  August  14,  1769;  and 
he  was  a  member  of  Captain  John  Haskin's  company 
in  1773.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Old  South  Church, 
and  he  died  July  24,  1784.  In  his  later  years  he  kept 
a  school  at  West  Street,  where  afterwards  was  Amos 
Lawrence's  garden. 

Abiah  and  Samuel  left  behind  them  better  dem- 
onstrations of  their  capacity  than  pieces  of  "knot- 
work" —  in  the  handwriting  of  their  scholars.  They 
taught  what  Jonathan  Snelling  described  as  "  Boston 
Style  of  Writing,"  and  loudly  do  the  elegant  letters 
and  signatures   of   their   scholars,   Boston    patriots, 

clergy, 


94  NOTES. 

clergy,  and  statesmen,  redound  to  the  credit  of  the 
Masters  Holbrook. 

Other  Holbrooks  taught  in  Boston.  From  the 
Selectmen's  Minutes  of  that  little  town,  we  find  that 
on  November  10,  1773,  — 

"  Mr  Holbrook,  Master  of  the  Writing  School  in 
the  Common,  and  Mr  Carter  the  Master  Elect  of  the 
school  in  Queen  St  having  recommended  Mr  Abiah 
Holbrook,  a  young  man  near  of  age,  as  a  suitable 
person  to  be  usher  at  Mr  Carters  school  —  the  Select- 
men sent  for  him,  and  upon  discoursing  with  the 
young  man  thought  proper  to  appoint  him  usher  of 
said  school." 

And  from  the  Boston  Gazette,  of  April  17,  1769,  we 
learn  that  Mr.  Joseph  Ward  "  Opened  an  English 
Grammar  School  in  King  St  where  Mr  Joseph  Hol- 
brook hath  for  many  years  kept  a  Writing  School." 

These  entries  of  Anna's  relating  to  her  attending 
Master  Holbrook's  school  have  an  additional  value  in 
that  they  prove  that  both  boys  and  girls  attended 
these  public  writing  schools,  —  a  fact  which  has  been 
disputed. 

Note  24. 

Dr.  James  Lloyd,  born  March  14,  1728,  died 
March  14,  18 10.  He  began  his  medical  practice  in 
1752.  He  was  appointed  surgeon  of  the  garrison  at 
Boston,  and  was  a  close  friend  of  Sir  William  Howe 
and  Earl  Percy,  who  for  a  time  lived  in  his  house. 
He  was  an  Episcopalian,  and  one  of  the  indignant 
protesters  against  the  alteration  of  the  liturgy  at 
King's  Chapel.     Though  a  warm  Tory  and  Loyalist, 

he 


NOTES.  95 

he  was  never  molested  by  the  American  government. 
He  was  one  of  Boston's  most  skilful  and  popular 
physicians  for  many  years.  While  other  city  doctors 
got  but  a  shilling  and  sixpence  for  their  regular  fee, 
he  charged  and  received  the  exorbitant  sum  of  half 
a  dollar  a  visit ;  and  for  "  bringing  little  master  to 
town,"  in  which  function  he  was  a  specialist,  he 
charged  a  guinea. 

Note  25. 
A  pincushion  was  for  many  years,  and  indeed  is 
still,  in  some  parts  of  New  England,  a  highly  conven- 
tional gift  to  a  mother  with  a  young  babe.  Mrs. 
Deming  must  have  made  many  of  these  cushions. 
One  of  her  manufacture  still  exists.  It  is  about  five 
inches  long  and  three  inches  wide ;  one  side  is  of 
white  silk  stuck  around  the  edge  with  old-fashioned 
clumsy  pins,  with  the  words,  "  John  Winslow  March 
1783.  Welcome  Little  Stranger."  The  other  side  is 
of  gray  satin  with  green  spots,  with  a  cluster  of  pins 
in  the  centre,  and  other  pins  winding  around  in  a  vine 
and  forming  a  row  round  the  edge. 

Note  26. 
Though  the  exchange  of  Christmas  gifts  was  rare 
in  New  England,  a  certain  observance  of  New  Year's 
Day  by  gifts  seems  to  have  obtained.  And  we  find 
in  Judge  Sewall's  diary  that  he  was  greeted  on  New 
Year's  morn  with  a  levet,  or  blast  of  trumpets,  under 
his  window;  and  he  celebrated  the  opening  of  the 
eighteenth  century  with  a  very  poor  poem  of  his  own 

composition, 


g6  NOTES. 

composition,  which  he  caused  to  be  recited  through 
Boston  streets  by  the  town-crier. 

Note  27. 
The  word  "  pompedore  "  or  Pompadour  was  in  con- 
stant use  in  that  day.     We  read  of  pompedore  shoes, 
laces,  capes,  aprons,  sacques,  stockings,  and  head- 
dresses. 

Note  28. 

Aunt  Storer  was  Mrs.  Ebenezer  Storer.  Her  mai- 
den name  was  Elizabeth  Green.  She  was  a  sister  of 
Mrs.  Joshua  Winslow.  She  was  born  October  12, 
1734,  died  December  8,  1774;  was  married  July  17, 
1 75 1,  to  Ebenezer  Storer,  who  was  born  January  27, 
1729-30,  died  January  6,  1807.  He  was  a  Harvard 
graduate,  and  was  for  many  years  treasurer  of  that 
college.  He  was  one  of  Boston's  most  intellectual 
and  respected  citizens.  His  library  was  large.  His 
name  constantly  appears  on  the  lists  of  subscribers 
to  new  books.  After  his  death  his  astronomical  in- 
struments became  the  property  of  Harvard  College, 
and  as  late  as  1843  his  comet-finder  was  used  there. 

As  Anna  Green  Winslow  spent  so  much  of  her 
time  in  her  "  Aunt  Storers  "  home  in  Sudbury  Street, 
it  is  interesting  to  know  that  a  very  correct  picture 
of  this  elegant  Boston  home  of  colonial  days  has 
been  preserved  through  the  account  given  in  the 
Memoir  of  Eliza  Susan  Morto7i  Quincy,  —  though 
many  persons  still  living  remember  the  house  :  — 

"The  mansion  of  Ebenezer  Storer,  an  extensive 

edifice 


NOTES.  97 

edifice  of  wood  three  stories  in  height,  was  erected  in 
1700.  It  was  situated  on  Sudbury  Street  between 
two  trees  of  great  size  and  antiquity.  An  old  English 
elm  of  uncommon  height  and  circumference  grew  in 
the  sidewalk  of  the  street  before  the  mansion,  and 
behind  it  was  a  sycamore  tree  of  almost  equal  age 
and  dimensions.  It  fronted  to  the  south  with  one 
end  toward  the  street.  From  the  gate  a  broad  walk 
of  red  sandstone  separated  it  from  a  grass-plot  which 
formed  the  courtyard,  and  passed  the  front  door  to 
the  office  of  Mr.  Storer.  The  vestibule  of  the  house, 
from  which  a  staircase  ascended,  opened  on  either 
side  into  the  dining  and  drawing  rooms.  Both  had 
windows  towards  the  courtyard  and  also  opened  by 
glazed  doors  into  a  garden  behind  the  house.  They 
were  long  low  apartments  ;  the  walls  wainscoted  and 
panelled ;  the  furniture  of  carved  mahogany.  The 
ceilings  were  traversed  through  the  length  of  the 
rooms  by  a  large  beam  cased  and  finished  like  the 
walls  ;  and  from  the  centre  of  each  depended  a  glass 
globe  which  reflected  as  in  a  convex  mirror  all  sur- 
rounding objects.  There  was  a  rich  Persian  carpet 
in  the  drawing-room,  the  colors  crimson  and  green. 
The  curtains  and  the  cushions  of  the  window-seat 
were  of  green  damask ;  and  oval  mirrors  and  giran- 
doles and  a  teaset  of  rich  china  completed  the  furni- 
ture of  that  apartment.  The  wide  chimney-place  in 
the  dining  room  was  lined  and  ornamented  with 
Dutch  tiles ;  and  on  each  side  stood  capacious  arm- 
chairs cushioned  and  covered  with  green  damask,  for 
the  master  and  mistress  of  the  family.     On  the  walls 

were 


98  NOTES. 

were  portraits  in  crayon  by  Copley,  and  valuable 
engravings  representing  Franklin  with  his  lightning 
rod,  Washington,  and  other  eminent  men  of  the  last 
century.  Between  the  windows  hung  a  long  mirror 
in  a  mahogany  frame ;  and  opposite  the  fireplace  was 
a  buffet  ornamented  with  porcelain  statuettes  and  a 
set  of  rich  china.  A  large  apartment  in  the  second 
story  was  devoted  to  a  valuable  library,  a  philoso- 
phical apparatus,  a  collection  of  engravings,  a  solar 
microscope,  a  camera,  etc." 

As  I  read  this  description  I  seem  to  see  the  figure 
of  our  happy  little  diary-writer  reflected  in  the  great 
glass  globes  that  hung  from  the  summer-trees,  while 
she  danced  on  the  Persian  carpet,  or  sat  curled  up 
reading  on  the  cushioned  window-seat. 

Note  29. 
As  this  was  in  the  time  of  depreciated  currency, 
^"45  was  not  so  large  a  sum  to  spend  for  a  young 
girl's  outfit  as  would  at  first  sight  appear. 

Note  30. 
Dr.  Charles  Chauncey  was  born  January  1,  1705; 
died  February  10,  1787.  He  graduated  at  Harvard  in 
1 721,  and  soon  became  pastor  of  the  First  Church  in 
Boston.  He  was  an  equally  active  opponent  of  White- 
field  and  of  Episcopacy.  He  was  an  ardent  and  ro- 
mantic patriot,  yet  so  plain  in  his  ways  and  views  that 
he  wished  Paradise  Lost  might  be  turned  into  prose 
that  he  might  understand  it. 

Note 


NOTES.  99 

Note  31. 
Rev.  Ebenezer  Pemberton  was  pastor  of  the  New- 
Brick  Church.  He  had  a  congregation  of  stanch 
Whigs  ;  but  unluckily,  the  Tory  Governor  Hutchin- 
son also  attended  his  church.  Dr.  Pemberton  was 
the  other  minister  of  the  two  who  sprung  the  Govern- 
or's hated  Thanksgiving  proclamation  of  1771  on  their 
parishes  a  week  ahead  of  time,  as  told  in  Note  3, 
and  the  astounded  and  disgusted  New  Brick  hearers, 
more  violent  than  the  Old  South  attendants,  walked 
out  of  meeting  while  it  was  being  read.  Dr.  Pem- 
berton's  troubled  and  unhappy  pastorate  came  to  an 
end  by  the  closing  of  his  church  in  war  times  in  1775. 
He  was  of  the  1721  class  of  Harvard  College.  He 
died  September  9,  1777. 

Note  32. 
We  find  frequent  references  in  the  writings  and 
newspapers  of  the  times  to  this  truly  Puritanical  dread 
of  bishops.  To  the  descendants  of  the  Pilgrims  the 
very  name  smacked  of  incense,  stole,  and  monkish 
jargon.  A  writer,  signing  himself  "  America,"  gives 
in  the  Boston  Evening  Post,  of  Octooer  14,  1771,  a 
communication  thoroughly  characteristic  of  the  spirit 
of  the  community  against  the  establishment  of  bish- 
ops, the  persistent  determination  to  "  beate  down 
every  sprout  of  episcopacie." 

Note  33. 
A  negligee  was  a  loose  gown  or  sacque  open  in 
front,  to  be  worn  over  a  handsome  petticoat ;  and  in 

spite 


IOO  NOTES. 

spite  of  its  name,  was  not  only  in  high  fashion  for 
many  years,  but  was  worn  for  full  dress.  Abigail 
Adams,  writing  to  Mrs.  Storer,  on  January  20,  1785, 
says:  "Trimming  is  reserved  for  full  dress  only, 
when  very  large  hoops  and  negligees  with  trains  three 
yards  long  are  worn."  I  find  advertised  in  the  Boston 
Evening  Post,  as  early  as  November,  1755:  "Horse- 
hair Quilted  Coats  to  wear  with  Negligees."  A  poem 
printed  in  New  York  in  1 756  has  these  lines  :  — 

"  Put  on  her  a  Shepherdee 
A  Short  Sack  or  Negligee 
Ruffled  high  to  keep  her  warm 
Eight  or  ten  about  an  arm." 

Note  34. 
A  pistareen  was  a  Spanish  coin  worth  about  seven- 
teen cents. 

Note  $$. 
There  exists  in  New  England  a  tradition  of  "groan- 
ing cake,"  made  and  baked  in  honor  of  a  mother 
and  babe.  These  cakes  which  Anna  bought  of  the 
nurse  may  have  been  "groaning  cakes."  It  was  al- 
ways customary  at  that  time  to  give  "  vails  "  to  the 
nurse  when  visiting  a  new-born  child;  sometimes 
gifts  of  money,  often  of  trinkets  and  articles  of  cloth- 
ing- 

Note  36. 
Miss  "  Scolley  "  was  Mary  Scollay,  youngest  of  the 
thirteen  children  of  John  Scollay  (who  was  born  in 

1712 


NOTES.  10 1 

1 71 2,  died  October,  1799),  and  his  wife  Mary.  Mary 
was  born  in  1759.  She  married  Rev.  Thomas  Pren- 
tiss on  February  9,  1 798,  had  nine  children,  and  lived 
to  be  eighty- two  years  old  —  dying  in  1841.  Her 
sister  Mercy  was  engaged  to  be  married  to  General 
Warren,  but  he  fell  at  Bunker  Hill :  and  his  betrothed 
devoted  herself  afterwards  to  the  care  and  education 
of  his  orphaned  children  whom  he  had  by  his  first 
wife. 

Note  37. 
Miss  Bella  Coffin  was  probably  Isabella,  daughter 
of  John  Coffin  and  Isabella  Child,  who  were  married 
in  1750.     She  married  Major  MacMurde,  and  their 
sons  were  officers  in  India. 

Note  38. 
This  Miss  "  Quinsey  "  was  Ann  Quincy,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Col.  Josiah  Quincy  (who  was  born  1710,  died 
1784),  and  his  third  wife,  Ann  Marsh.  Ann  was  born 
December  8,  1763,  and  thus  would  have  been  in  her 
ninth  year  at  the  time  of  the  little  rout.  She  married 
the  Rev.  Asa  Packard,  of  Marlborough,  Mass.,  in 
1790. 

Note  39. 
In  the  universal  use  of  wines  and  strong  liquors  in 
New  England  at  that  date  children  took  unrestrain- 
edly their  proportionate  part.  It  seems  strange  to 
think  of  this  girl  assembly  of  little  Bostonians  drink- 
ing wine  and   hot  or  cold  punch  as  part  of  their 

"  treat," 


102  NOTES. 

"  treat,"  yet  no  doubt  they  were  well  accustomed  to 
such  fare.  I  know  of  a  little  girl  of  still  tenderer 
years  who  was  sent  at  that  same  time  from  the  Bar- 
badoes  to  her  grandmother's  house  in  Boston  to  be 
"finished"  in  Boston  schools,  as  was  Anna,  and  who 
left  her  relative's  abode  in  high  dudgeon  because  she 
was  not  permitted  to  have  wine  at  her  meals ;  and  her 
parents  upheld  her,  saying  Missy  must  be  treated 
like  a  lady  and  have  all  the  wine  she  wished.  Cob- 
bett,  who  thought  liquor  drinking  the  national  disease 
of  America,  said  that  "  at  all  hours  of  the  day  little 
boys  at  or  under  twelve  years  of  age  go  into  stores 
and  tip  off  their  drams."  Thus  it  does  not  seem 
strange  for  little  maids  also  to  drink  at  a  party.  The 
temperance  awakening  of  this  century  came  none  too 


Note  40. 
Paste  ornaments  were  universally  worn  by  both 
men  and  women,  as  well  as  by  little  girls,  and  formed 
the  decoration  of  much  of  the  headgear  of  fashion- 
able dames.  Many  advertisements  appear  in  New 
England  newspapers,  which  show  how  large  and 
varied  was  the  importation  of  hair  ornaments  at  that 
date.  We  find  advertised  in  the  Boston  Evening 
Post,  of  1768:  "Double  and  single  row  knotted 
Paste  Combs,  Paste  Hair  Sprigs  &  Pins  all  prices. 
Marcasite  and  Pearl  Hair  Sprigs,  Garnet  &  Pearl 
Hair  Sprigs."  In  the  Salem  Gazette  and  various 
Boston  papers  I  read  of  "  black  &  coloured  plumes 
&  feathers."     Other  hair  ornaments  advertised  in  the 

Boston 


NOTES.  103 

Boston  News  Letter,  of  December,  1768,  were  "  Long 
and  small  Tail  Garnets,  Mock  Garland  of  all  sorts 
and  Ladies  Poll  Combs."  Steel  plumes,  pompons, 
aigrettes,  and  rosettes  all  were  worn  on  the  head,  and 
artificial  flowers,  wreaths  of  gauze,  and  silk  ribbons. 

Note  41. 
Marcasite,  spelled  also  marcassite,  march  asite,  mar- 
quesett,  or  marquaset,  was  a  mineral,  the  crystallized 
form  of  iron  pyrites.  It  was  largely  used  in  the 
eighteenth  century  for  various  ornamental  purposes, 
chiefly  in  the  decoration  of  the  person.  It  took  a 
good  polish,  and  when  cut  in  facets  like  a  rose-dia- 
mond, formed  a  pretty  material  for  shoe  and  knee- 
buckles,  earrings,  rings,  pins,  and  hair  ornaments. 
Scarce  a  single  advertisement  of  wares  of  milliner  or 
mantua  maker  can  he  found  in  eighteenth  century 
newspapers  that  does  not  contain  in  some  form  of 
spelling  the  word  marcasite,  and  scarce  a  rich  gown 
or  headdress  was  seen  without  some  ornament  of 
marcasite. 

Note  42. 
Master  Turner  was  William  Turner,  a  fashionable 
dancing  master  of  Boston,  who  afterward  resided  in 
Salem,  and  married  Judith,  daughter  of  Dr.  Edward 
Augustus  Holyoke,  of  Salem,  who  died  in  1829,  aged 
one  hundred  and  one  years.  It  was  recalled  by  an 
old  lady  that  the  scholars  in  the  school  of  her  youth 
marched  through  Boston  streets,  to  the  music  of  the 
fiddle  played  by  "Black  Henry,"  to  Concert  Hall, 

corner 


104  NOTES. 

corner  Tremont  and  Bromfield  streets,  to  practice 
dancing ;  and  that  Mr.  Turner  walked  at  the  head  of 
the  school.  His  advertisements  may  be  seen  in  Bos- 
ton and  Salem  papers,  thus  :  — 

"Mr.  Turner  informs  the  Ladies  and  Gentlemen 
in  Town  and  Country  that  he  has  reduced  his  price 
for  teaching  from  Six  Dollars  Entrance  to  One  Guinea, 
and  from  Four  Dollars  per  month  to  Three.  Those 
ladies  and  Gentlemen  who  propose  sending  their 
children  to  be  taught  will  notice  no  books  will  be 
kept  as  Mr.  T.  has  suffered  much  by  Booking.  The 
pupils  must  pay  monthly  if  they  are  desirous  the 
School  should  continue." 

Note  43. 
"  Unkle  Ned  "  was  Edward  Green,  born  September 
18,  1733  ;  died  July  29,  1790.  He  married,  on  April 
14,  1757,  Mary  Storer  (sister  of  Ebenezer  Storer  and 
of  Hannah  Storer  Green).  They  had  no  children. 
He  was,  in  1780,  one  of  the  enlisting  officers  for  Suf- 
folk County.  In  a  letter  of  George  Green's,  written 
July  25,  1770,  we  read:  "  Ned  still  lives  gentleman- 
like at  Southwacks  Court  without  doing  any  business 
tho'  obliged  to  haul  in  his  horns ;  "  and  from  another 
of  December  5,  1770:  "Ned  after  having  shown  off 
as  long  as  he  cou'd  with  his  yell°  damask  window 
curtains  &c  is  (the  last  month)  retired  into  the  coun- 
try and  lives  wth  his  wife  at  Parson  Storers  at  Water- 
town.     How  long  that  will  hold  I  cant  say." 

Note 


NOTES.  105 

Note  44. 

Madam  Smith  was  evidently  Anna's  teacher  in 
sewing.  The  duties  pertaining  to  a  sewing  school 
were,  in  those  days,  no  light  matter.  From  an  adver- 
tisement of  one  I  learn  that  there  were  taught  at 
these  schools :  — 

"All  kinds  of  Needleworks  viz:  point,  Brussels, 
Dresden  Gold,  Silver,  and  silk  Embroidery  of  every 
kind.  Tambour  Feather,  India  &  Darning,  Sprig- 
gings  with  a  Variety  of  Open-work  to  each.  Tapes- 
try plain,  lined,  and  drawn.  Catgut,  black  &  white, 
with  a  number  of  beautiful  Stitches.  Diaper  and 
Plain  Darnings.  French  Quiltings,  Knitting,  Various 
Sorts  of  marking  with  the  Embellishments  of  Royal 
cross,  Plain  cross,  Queen,  Irish,  and  Tent  Stitches." 

Can  any  nineteenth  century  woman  read  this  list  of 
feminine  accomplishments  without  looking  abashed 
upon  her  idle  hands,  and  ceasing  to  wonder  at  the 
delicate  heirlooms  of  lace  and  embroidery  that  have 
come  down  to  us ! 

Note  45. 
Grandmamma  Sargent  was  Joshua  Winslow's  mo- 
ther. Her  maiden  name  was  Sarah  Pierce.  She 
was  born  April  30,  1697,  died  August  2,  1771.  She 
married  on  September  21,  1721,  John  Winslow,  who 
lived  to  be  thirty-eight  years  old.  After  his  death 
she  married  Dr.  Nathaniel  Sargent  in  1749. 

Note 


106  NOTES. 

Note  46. 
These  lines  were  a  part  of  the  epitaph  said  to  be 
composed  by  Governor  Thomas  Dudley,  who  died  at 
Andover,  Mass.,  in  1653.  They  were  found  after  his 
death  and  preserved  in  Morton's  New  England's 
Memorial.     They  run  thus :  — 

Dim  eyes,  deaf  ears,  cold  stomach  show 

My  dissolution  is  in  view; 

Eleven  times  seven  near  lived  have  I, 

And  now  God  calls,  I  willing  die ; 

My  shuttle's  shot,  my  race  is  run, 

My  sun  is  set,  my  deed  is  done ; 

My  span  is  measur'd,  tale  is  told, 

My  flower  is  faded  and  grown  old, 

My  dream  is  vanish 'd,  shadow's  fled, 

My  soul  with  Christ,  my  body  dead; 

Farewell  dear  wife,  children  and  friends, 

Hate  heresy,  make  blessed  ends ; 

Bear  poverty,  live  with  good  men, 

So  shall  we  meet  with  joy  again. 

Let  men  of  God  in  courts  and  churches  watch 

O'er  such  as  do  a  toleration  hatch ; 

Lest  that  ill  egg  bring  forth  a  cockatrice, 

To  prison  all  with  heresy  and  vice. 

If  men  be  left,  and  other  wise  combine 

My  epitaph's,  I  dy'd  no  libertine. 

Note  47. 
Miss   Polly  Vans   was   Mary  Vans,   daughter  of 
Hugh  and  Mary  Pemberton  Vans,  and  aunt  of  Caty 
Vans.     She  was  born  in  1733.     We  have  some  scat- 
tered glimpses  of  her  life.     She  joined  the  Old  South 

in 


NOTES.  107 

in  1755.  In  the  Boston  Gazette,  of  April  9,  1770,  we 
read,  "  Fan  Mounts  mounted  by  Mary  Vans  at  the 
house  of  Deacon  Williams,  in  Cornhill."  We  hear 
of  her  at  Attleborough  with  Samuel  Whitwell's  wife 
when  the  gates  of  Boston  were  closed,  and  we  know 
she  married  Deacon  Jonathan  Mason  on  Sunday 
evening,  December  20,  1778.  She  was  his  second 
wife.  His  first  wife  was  Miriam  Clark,  and  was 
probably  the  Mrs.  Mason  who  was  present  at  Mrs. 
Whitwell's,  and  died  June  5,  1774.  Mary  Vans 
Mason  lived  till  1820,  having  witnessed  the  termina- 
tion of  eight  of  the  pastorates  of  the  Old  South 
Church.  Well  might  Anna  term  her  "  a  Sister  of  the 
Old  South."  She  was  in  181 7  the  President  of  the 
Old  South  Charity  School,  and  is  described  as  a 
"disinterested  friend,  a  judicious  adviser,  an  affec- 
tionate counsellor,  a  mild  but  faithful  reprover,  a 
humble,  self-denying,  fervent,  active,  cheerful  Chris- 
tian." Jonathan  Mason  was  not  only  a  deacon,  but 
a  prosperous  merchant  and  citizen.  He  helped  to 
found  the  first  bank  in  New  England.  His  son  was 
United  States  Senator.  Two  other  daughters  of 
Hugh  Vans  were  a  Mrs.  Langdon,  of  Wiscasset, 
Maine,  and  Mrs.  John  Coburn. 

Note  48. 
St.  Valentine's  Day  was  one  of  the  few  English 
holidays  observed  in  New  England.  We  find  even 
Governor  Winthrop  writing  to  his  wife  about  "  chal- 
lenging a  valentine."  In  England  at  that  date,  and 
for  a  century  previous,  the  first  person  of  the  oppo- 
site 


108  NOTES. 

site  sex  seen  in  the  morning  was  the  observer's  valen- 
tine. We  find  Madam  Pepys  lying  in  bed  for  a  long 
time  one  St.  Valentine's  morning  with  eyes  tightly 
closed,  lest  she  see  one  of  the  painters  who  was  gild- 
ing her  new  mantelpiece,  and  be  forced  to  have  him 
for  her  valentine.  Anna  means,  doubtless,  that  the 
first  person  she  chanced  to  see  that  morning  was  "  an 
old  country  plow-joger." 

Note  49. 
Boston  was  at  that  date  pervaded  by  the  spirit  of 
Liberty.  Sons  of  Liberty  held  meetings  every  day 
and  every  night.  Daughters  of  Liberty  held  spinning 
and  weaving  bees,  and  gathered  in  bands  pledging 
themselves  to  drink  no  tea  till  the  obnoxious  revenue 
act  was  repealed.  Young  unmarried  girls  joined  in 
an  association  with  the  proud  declaration,  "  We,  the 
daughters  of  those  Patriots  who  have  appeared  for 
the  public  interest,  do  now  with  pleasure  engage  with 
them  in  denying  ourselves  the  drinking  of  foreign 
tea."  Even  the  children  felt  the  thrill  of  revolt  and 
joined  in  patriotic  demonstrations  —  and  a  year  or 
two  later  the  entire  graduating  class  at  Harvard,  to 
encourage  home  manufactures,  took  their  degrees  in 
homespun. 

Note  50. 

The  cut-paper  pictures  referred  to  are  the  ones 

which  are  reproduced  in  this  book,  and  which  are 

still  preserved.     Anna's  father  finally  received  them. 

Mrs.  Deming  and  other  members  of  the  Winslow 

family 


NOTES.  IO9 

family  seem  to  have  excelled  in  this  art,  and  are 
remembered  as  usually  bringing  paper  and  scissors 
when  at  a  tea-drinking,  and  assiduously  cutting  these 
pictures  with  great  skill  and  swiftness  and  with  ap- 
parently but  slight  attention  to  the  work.  This  form 
of  decorative  art  was  very  fashionable  in  colonial 
days,  and  was  taught  under  the  ambitious  title  of 
Papyrotamia. 

Note  51. 

The  "  biziness  of  making  flowers  "  was  a  thriving 
one  in  Boston.  We  read  frequently  in  newspapers 
of  the  day  such  notices  as  that  of  Anne  Dacray,  of 
Pudding  Lane,  in  the  Boston  Evening  Post,  of  1769, 
who  advertises  that  she  "makes  and  sells  Head- 
flowers  :  Ladies  may  be  supplied  with  single  buds  for 
trimming  Stomachers  or  sticking  in  the  Hair."  Ad- 
vertisements of  teachers  in  the  art  of  flower-making 
also  are  frequent.  I  note  one  from  the  Boston  Ga- 
zette, of  October  19,  1767 :  — 

"  To  the  young  Ladies  of  Boston.  Elizabeth 
Courtney  as  several  Ladies  has  signified  of  having  a 
desire  to  learn  that  most  ingenious  art  of  Painting  on 
Gauze  &  Catgut,  proposes  to  open  a  School,  and 
that  her  business  may  be  a  public  good,  designs  to 
teach  the  making  of  all  sorts  of  French  Trimmings, 
Flowers,  and  Feather  Muffs  and  Tippets.  And  as 
these  Arts  above  mentioned  (the  Flowers  excepted) 
are  entirely  unknown  on  the  Continent,  she  flatters 
herself  to  meet  with  all  due  encouragement ;  and 
more  so,  as  every  Lady  may  have  a  power  of  serving 

herself 


IIO  NOTES. 

herself  of  what  she  is  now  obliged  to  send  to  England 
for,  as  the  whole  process  is  attended  with  little  or  no 
expence.  The  Conditions  are  Five  Dollars  at  en- 
trance ;  to  be  confin'd  to  no  particular  hours  or 
time :  And  if  they  apply  Constant  may  be  Compleat 
in  six  weeks.  And  when  she  has  fifty  subscribers 
school  will  be  opened,  &c,  &c." 

Note  52. 
This  was  James  Lovell,  the  famous  Boston  school- 
master, orator,  and  patriot.  He  was  born  in  Boston 
October  31,  1737.  He  graduated  at  Harvard  in  1756, 
then  became  a  Latin  School  usher.  He  married  Miss 
Helen  Sheaffe,  older  sister  of  the  "two  Miss  Sheafs" 
named  herein;  and  their  daughter  married  Henry 
Loring,  of  Brookline.  He  was  a  famous  patriot:  he 
delivered  the  oration  in  1771  commemorative  of  the 
Boston  Massacre.  He  was  imprisoned  by  the  British 
as  a  spy  on  the  evidence  of  letters  found  on  General 
Warren's  dead  body  after  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill. 
He  died  in  Windham,  Maine,  July  14,  1814.  A  full 
account  of  his  life  and  writings  is  given  in  Loring's 
Hundred  Boston  Orators. 

Note  53. 
Nothing  seems  more  revolting  to  our  modern  no- 
tions of  decency  than  the  inhuman  custom  of  punish- 
ing criminals  in  the  open  streets.  From  the  earliest 
days  of  the  colonies  the  greatest  publicity  was  given 
to  the  crime,  to  its  punishment,  and  to  the  criminal. 
Anna  shows,  in  her  acquaintance  with  the  vices  of 

Bet 


NOTES.  Ill 

Bet  Smith,  a  painful  familiarity  with  evil  unknown  in 
any  well-bred  child  of  to-day.  Samuel  Breck  wrote 
thus  of  the  Boston  of  1771  :  — 

"The  large  whipping-post  painted  red  stood  con- 
spicuously and  prominently  in  the  most  public  street 
in  the  town.  It  was  placed  in  State  Street  directly 
under  the  windows  of  a  great  writing  school  which  I 
frequented,  and  from  them  the  scholars  were  indulged 
in  the  spectacle  of  all  kinds  of  punishment  suited 
to  harden  their  hearts  and  brutalize  their  feelings. 
Here  women  were  taken  in  a  huge  cage,  in  which 
they  were  dragged  on  wheels  from  prison,  and  tied 
to  the  post  with  bare  backs  on  which  thirty  or  forty 
lashes  were  bestowed  among  the  screams  of  the  cul- 
prit and  the  uproar  of  the  mob.  A  little  further  in 
the  street  was  to  be  seen  the  pillory  with  three  or  four 
fellows  fastened  by  the  head  and  hands,  and  standing 
for  an  hour  in  that  helpless  posture,  exposed  to  gross 
and  cruel  jeers  from  the  multitude,  who  pelted  them 
incessantly  with  rotten  eggs  and  every  repulsive  kind 
of  garbage  that  could  be  collected." 

There  was  a  pillory  in  State  Street  in  Boston  as 
late  as  1803,  and  men  stood  in  it  for  the  crime  of  sink- 
ing a  vessel  at  sea  and  defrauding  the  underwriters. 
In  1 77 1  the  pillory  was  in  constant  use  in  Newport. 

Note  54. 
In  1770  British  troops  were  quartered  in  Boston, 
to  the  intense  annoyance  and  indignation  of  Boston 
inhabitants.     Disturbances  between  citizens  and  sol- 
diers were  frequent,  and  many  quarrels  arose.     On 

the 


112  NOTES. 

the  night  of  March  5  in  that  year  the  disturbance 
became  so  great  that  the  troops,  at  that  time  under 
command  of  Captain  Preston,  fired  upon  the  un- 
armed citizens  in  King  (now  State)  street,  causing  the 
death  of  Crispus  Attucks,  a  colored  man,  Samuel 
Gray  and  James  Caldwell,  who  died  on  the  spot,  and 
mortally  wounding  Patrick  Carr  and  Samuel  Maver- 
ick. At  the  burial  of  these  slaughtered  men  the 
greatest  concourse  ever  known  in  the  colonies  flocked 
to  the  grave  in  the  Granary  Burying  Ground.  All 
traffic  ceased.  The  stores  and  manufactories  were 
closed.  The  bells  were  tolled  in  all  the  neighboring 
towns. 

Daniel  Webster  said,  that  from  the  moment  the 
blood  of  these  men  stained  the  pavements  of  Boston 
streets,  we  may  date  the  severance  of  the  colony  from 
the  British  empire. 

The  citizens  demanded  the  removal  of  the  troops, 
and  the  request  was  complied  with.  For  many  years 
the  anniversary  of  this  day  was  a  solemn  holiday  in 
Boston,  and  religious  and  patriotic  services  were 
publicly  held. 

Note  55. 
Mather  Byles  was  born  March  15,  1707;  died 
July  5,  1788.  He  was  ordained  pastor  of  the  Hollis 
Street  Congregational  Church,  of  Boston,  in  1733. 
He  was  a  staunch  Loyalist  till  the  end  of  his  days,  as 
were  his  daughters,  who  lived  till  1837.  His  chief 
fame  does  not  rest  on  his  name  as  a  clergyman  or  an 
author,  but  as  an  inveterate  and  unmerciful  jester. 

Note 


NOTES.  113 

Note  $6. 
Henry  Green,  the  brother  of  Anna's  mother,  was 
born  June  2,  1738.     He  was  a  Latin  School  boy,  was 
in  business  in  Nova  Scotia,  and  died  in  1774. 

Note  57. 

This  stove  was  a  foot-stove,  —  a  small  metal  box, 
usually  of  sheet  tin  or  iron,  enclosed  in  a  wooden 
frame  or  standing  on  little  legs,  and  with  a  handle  or 
bail  for  comfortable  carriage.  In  it  were  placed  hot 
coals  from  a  glowing  wood  fire,  and  from  it  came  a 
welcome  warmth  to  make  endurable  the  freezing  floors 
of  the  otherwise  unwarmed  meeting-house.  Foot- 
stoves  were  much  used  in  the  Old  South.  In  the 
records  of  the  church,  under  date  of  January  16,  1771, 
may  be  read :  — 

"  Whereas,  danger  is  apprehended  from  the  stoves 
that  are  frequently  left  in  the  meeting-house  after  the 
publick  worship  is  over;  Voted  that  the  Saxton  make 
diligent  search  on  the  Lords  Day  evening  and  in  the 
evening  after  a  Lecture,  to  see  if  any  stoves  are  left 
in  the  house,  and  that  if  he  find  any  there  he  take 
them  to  his  house  ;  and  it  is  expected  that  the  owners 
of  such  stoves  make  reasonable  satisfaction  to  the 
Saxton  for  his  trouble  before  they  take  them  away." 

The  Old  South  did  not  have  a  stove  set  in  the 
church  for  heating  till  1783. 

Note  58. 
The  first  anniversary  of  the  Boston  Massacre  was 
celebrated  throughout  the  city,  and  a  mass-meeting 


114  NOTES. 

was  held  at  the  Old  South  Church,  where  James 
Lovell  made  a  stirring  address.  See  Notes  52  and 
54- 

Note  59. 
The  Queen's  night-cap  was  a  very  large  full  cap 
with  plaited   ruffles,   which   is   made  familiar  to  us 
through  the  portraits  of  Martha  Washington. 

Note  60. 
"Old  Mrs.  Sallisbury"  was  Mrs.  Nicholas  Salis- 
bury, who  was  married  in  1729,  and  was  mother  of 
Rebecca  Salisbury,  who  became  Mrs.  Daniel  Waldo, 
and  of  Samuel  Salisbury,  who  married  Elizabeth 
Sewall.     See  Note  73. 

Note  61. 
Mrs.  John  Avery.     Her  husband  was  Secretary  of 
the   Commonwealth   and  nephew  of  John   Deming, 
who*  in  his  will  left  his  house  to  John  Avery,  Jr. 

Note  62. 
A  baby  hutt  was  a  booby-hutch,  a  clumsy,  ill-con- 
trived covered  carriage.  The  word  is  still  used  in 
some  parts  of  England,  and  a  curious  survival  of  it  in 
New  England  is  the  word  booby-hut  applied  to  a 
hooded  sleigh  ;  and  booby  to  the  body  of  a  hackney 
coach  set  on  runners.  Mr.  Howells  uses  the  word 
booby  in  the  latter  signification,  and  it  may  be  heard 
frequently  in  eastern  Massachusetts,  particularly  in 
Boston. 

Note 


NOTES.  115 

Note  63. 
Peggy  Phillips  was  Margaret  Phillips,  daughter  of 
William  and  Margaret  Wendell  Phillips.  She  was 
born  May  26,  1762,  married  Judge  Samuel  Cooper, 
and  died  February  19,  1844.  She  was  aunt  of  Wen- 
dell Phillips. 

Note  64. 

This  "  droll  figure  "  may  have  been  a  drawing,  or  a 
dressed  doll,  or  "  baby,"  as  such  were  called  —  a  doll 
that  displayed  in  careful  miniature  the  reigning  modes 
of  the  English  court.  In  the  New  England  Weekly 
Journal,  of  July  2,  1 733,  appears  this  notice  :  — 

"  To  be  seen  at  Mrs.  Hannah  Teatts  Mantua 
Maker  at  the  Head  of  Summer  Street  Boston  a  Baby 
drest  after  the  Newest  Fashion  of  Mantuas  and  Night 
Gowns  &  everything  belonging  to  a  dress.  Latily 
arrived  on  Capt.  White  from  London,  any  Ladies  that 
desire  it  may  either  come  or  send,  she  will  be  ready 
to  wait  on  'em  if  they  come  to  the  House  it  is  Five 
Shilling,  &  if  she  waits  on  'em  it  is  Seven  Shilling." 

These  models  of  fashion  were  employed  until  this 
century. 

Note  65. 
We  can  have  a  very  exact  notion  of  the  books  im- 
ported and  printed  for  and  read  by  children  at  that 
time,  from  the  advertisements  in  the  papers.  In  the 
Boston  Gazette  and  Cotmtry  Journal,  of  January  20, 
1772,  the  booksellers,  Cox  and  Berry,  have  this 
notice :  — 

The 


Il6  NOTES. 

The  following  Little  Books  for  the  Instruction  &  Amuse- 
ment of  all  good  Boys  and  Girls. 

The  Brother  Gift  or  the  Naughty  Girl  Reformed. 
The  Sister  Gift,  or  the  Naughty  Boy  Reformed. 
Hobby  Horse  or  Christian  Companion. 
Robin  Good-Fellow,  A  Fairy  Tale. 
Puzzling  Cap,  A  Collection  of  Riddles. 
The  Cries  of  London  as  exhibited  in  the  Streets. 
Royal  Guide  or  Early  Introduction  to  Reading  English. 
Mr  Winloves  Collection  of  Stories. 
"  "  Moral  Lectures. 

History  of  Tom  Jones  abridg'd  from  the  works  of 

"        "  Joseph  Andrews        H.  Fielding. 

"         "  Pamela  abridg'd  from  the  works  of 

"        "  Grandison  S.  Richardson,  Esq. 

"        "  Clarissa 

Note  66. 
General  John  Winslow  was  but  a  distant  kinsman 
of  Anna's,  for  he  was  descended  from  Edward  Wins- 
low.  He  was  born  May  27,  1702  ;  died  April  17, 1774. 
He  was  a  soldier  and  jurist,  but  his  most  prominent 
position  (though  now  of  painful  notoriety)  was  as 
commander  of  that  tragic  disgrace  in  American  his- 
tory, the  expedition  against  the  Acadians.  It  is  told 
in  extenuation  of  his  action  that  before  the  annihila- 
tion and  dispersion  of  that  unfortunate  community  he 
addressed  them,  saying  that  his  duty  was  "  very  dis- 
agreeable to  his  natural  make  and  temper  as  it  must 
be  grievous  to  them,"  but  that  he  must  obey  orders,  — 
and  of  course  what  he  said  was  true. 

Note 


NOTES.  117 

Note  67. 

The  exercises  attending  this  election  of  counsellors 
must  indeed  have  been  an  impressive  sight.  The 
Governor,  attended  by  a  troop  of  horse,  rode  from  the 
Province  House  to  Cambridge,  where  religious  ser- 
vices were  held.  An  Election  Sermon  was  preached. 
Volleys  and  salutes  were  fired  at  the  Battery  and 
Castle.  A  protest  was  made  in  the  public  press,  as 
on  the  previous  year,  against  holding  this  election  in 
Cambridge  instead  of  in  the  "Town  House  in  Bos- 
ton, the  accustomed  Ancient  Place,"  and  also  directly 
to  the  Governor,  which  was  answered  by  him  in  the 
newspapers ;  and  at  this  election  a  most  significant 
event  occurred  —  John  Hancock  declined  to  accept 
a  seat  among  the  counsellors,  to  which  he  had  been 
elected.  The  newspapers  —  the  Massachusetts  Spy 
and  the  Boston  Gazette  and  Country  Journal —  com- 
mented on  his  action  thus  :  — 

"Mr  Hancocks  declining  a  seat  in  the  Council 
Board  is  very  satisfactory  to  the  Friends  of  Liberty 
among  his  constituents.  This  Gentleman  has  stood 
five  years  successively  and  as  often  Negativ'd. 
Whatever  may  have  been  the  Motive  of  his  being 
approbated  at  last  his  own  Determination  now  shows 
that  he  had  rather  be  a  Representative  of  the  People 
since  he  has  had  so  repeatedly  their  Election  and 
Confidence." 

Note  68. 
Boston  had  two  election  days.     On  Artillery  Elec- 
tion the  Ancient  and  Honorable  Artillery  had  a  dress 

parade 


Il8  NOTES. 

parade  on  the  Common.  The  new  officers  were 
chosen  and  received  their  new  commissions  from  the 
new  Governor.  No  negroes  were  then  allowed  on  the 
Common.  The  other  day  was  called  "  Nigger  Lec- 
tion," because  the  blacks  were  permitted  to  throng 
the  Common  and  buy  gingerbread  and  drink  beer,  as 
did  their  betters  at  Artillery  Election. 

Note  69. 
Col.  Thomas  Marshall  was  a  Revolutionary  officer. 
He  commanded  the  Tenth  Massachusetts  Regiment 
at  Valley  Forge.  He  was  Captain  of  the  Ancient 
and  Honorable  Artillery  from  1763  to  1767,  and  at 
one  time  commanded  Castle  Island,  now  Fort  Inde- 
pendence. He  was  one  of  the  Selectmen  of  Boston 
at  the  time  when  the  town  was  invested  by  troops 
under  Washington.  He  died  at  Weston,  Mass.,  on 
November  18,  1800. 

Note  70. 
A  night  gown  was  not  in  those  days  a  garment  for 
wear  when  sleeping,  but  resembled  what  we  now  call 
a  tea-gown.  The  night  attire  was  called  a  rail.  Both 
men  and  women  wore  in  public  loose  robes  which 
they  called  night  gowns.  Men  often  wore  these 
gowns  in  their  offices. 

Note  71. 
Many  Boston  people  agreed  with  Anna  in  her  esti- 
mate of  Rev.  Samuel  Stillman.     He  was  called  to  the 
First  Baptist  Church  in  1765,  and  soon  became  one 

of 


NOTES.  119 

of  Boston's  most  popular  and  sensational  preachers. 
Crowds  thronged  his  obscure  little  church  at  the 
North  End,  and  he  took  an  active  part  in  Revolu- 
tionary politics.  Many  were  pleased  with  his  patriot- 
ism who  did  not  agree  with  him  in  doctrine.  In  the 
curious  poem  on  Boston  Ministers,  already  quoted, 
we  read :  — 

Last  in  my  list  is  a  Baptist, 

A  real  saint,  I  wot. 
Though  named  Stillman  much  noise  he  can 

Make  when  in  pulpit  got. 
The  multitude,  both  grave  and  rude, 

As  drove  by  wind  and  tide, 
After  him  hie,  when  he  doth  try 

To  gain  them  to  his  side. 

Note  72. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hooper  were  "  King  "  Hooper  and 
his  wife  of  Marblehead.  He  was  so  called  on  ac- 
count of  his  magnificent  style  of  living.  He  was  one 
of  the  Harvard  Class  of  1763  ;  was  a  refugee  in  1775, 
and  died  insolvent  in  1790.  The  beautiful  mansion 
which  he  built  at  Danvers,  Mass.,  is  still  standing  in 
perfect  condition,  and  is  the  home  of  Francis  Pea- 
body,  Esq.  It  is  one  of  the  finest  examples  of 
eighteenth  century  architecture  in  New  England. 

Note  73. 
This  "  Miss  Becca"  was  Rebecca  Salisbury,  born 
April  7,  1 73 1,  died  September  25,  181 1.     She  was  a 
fine,  high-spirited  young  woman,  and    upon   being 
taunted  by  a  rejected  lover  with, 

"The 


120  NOTES. 

"  The  proverb  old  —  you  know  it  well, 
That  women  dying  maids,  lead  apes  in  hell," 

(a  belief  referred  to  in  Ta?ning  of  the  Shrew,  Act  II. 
Scene  i),  she  made  this  clever  rhyming  answer :  — 

"  Lead  apes  in  hell  —  tis  no  such  thing ; 
The  story's  told  to  fool  us. 
But  better  there  to  hold  a  string, 
Than  here  let  monkeys  lead  us." 

She  married  Daniel  Waldo  May  3,  1757.  The 
"very  pretty  Misses"  were  their  daughters;  Eliza- 
beth, born  November  24,  1765,  died  unmarried  in 
Worcester,  August  28,  1845  ?  and  Martha  (who  in 
this  diary  is  called  Patty),  born  September  14,  1761, 
died  November  25,  1828.  She  married  Levi  Lincoln, 
Lieutenant-Governor  of  Massachusetts,  and  became 
the  mother  of  Levi  Lincoln,  Governor  of  Massachu- 
setts, Enoch  Lincoln,  Governor  of  Maine,  and  Col. 
John  Lincoln. 

Note  74. 
The  fashion  of  the  roll  was  of  much  importance 
in  those  days.  A  roll  frequently  weighed  fourteen 
ounces.  We  can  well  believe  such  a  heavy  mass  made 
poor  Anna's  head  "ach  and  itch  like  anything." 
That  same  year  the  Boston  Gazette  had  a  laughable 
account  of  an  accident  to  a  young  woman  on  Boston 
streets.  She  was  knocked  down  by  a  runaway,  and 
her  headdress  received  the  most  serious  damage. 
The  outer  covering  of  hair  was  thrust  aside,  and  cot- 
ton, tow,  and  false  hair  were  disgorged  to  the  delight 

of 


NOTES.  121 

of  jeering  boys,  who  kicked  the  various  stuffings 
around  the  street.  A'  Salem  hair-dresser  advertised 
that  he  would  "  attend  to  the  polite  construction  of 
rolls  to  raise  ladies  heads  to  any  pitch  desired." 
The  Abbd  Robin,  traveling  through  Boston  a  few 
years  later,  found  the  hair  of  ladies'  heads  "  raised 
and  supported  upon  rolls  to  an  extravagant  height." 


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,,'-             : 

rifi 

; II  i  h 

7008 

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